Cards for Causes was founded in order to help support worthy causes by offering hundreds of 
holiday, all occasion cards and invitations where 20% of every card purchase is donated by us to the nonprofit cause of the customer’s choice.
During the course of the year, virtually everyone and every business needs to order holiday cards, thank you cards, birthday cards or invitations and announcements. What a great way to purchase something you need and in the process have us make a generous donation to a charity that needs your support.
Cards for Causes encourages any nonprofit agency that would like to receive donations from the sale of our products to register on our website or call us at 1-888-832-4153.
Our goal is to raise 1 million dollars over the next several years to benefit these worthy causes.
We pride ourselves in providing a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on every order. If we make a mistake on your order, we will replace the order at no charge or refund your money, no questions asked!
Cards for Causes Mission Statement:
Our mission is to provide our customers a safe and convenient vehicle to help support charities worldwide while providing high quality products and services at reasonable prices.
No, not dying or anything like that, I promise!
But I did want to share some thoughts that have been rolling around in the ol’ noggin lately.
1. I love to blog, so that is not going to stop.
2. BUT, Lawgirl is not who I am anymore.
When I started Lawgirl about 3.5 years ago, I was a very different person. I was still in law school (hence the Lawgirl name). I was in a very bad place emotionally, which led to two very bad relationships and a lot of stress and strife.
But today, I am happily engaged to the most wonderful man in the world. The demons of my past are gone. A completely different person is writing this blog now, as the bitter, angry person Lawgirl was no longer exists.
I’ve become fascinated by nutrition and health, so my other blog gets way more attention, to be honest with you. I love writing about the things I’ve found out about our food and how it affects us. Sometimes I really struggle to come up with posts over here on Lawgirl.
So what does all of this mean?
Well, I am thinking that eventually, Lawgirl will fade away, but I will make sure that you all have access to the other blog. In addition to writing about food and nutrition, I would still share my TV, movie and book reviews with you, plus my passion for handbags and interior decorating.
So, I haven’t worked it all out how I can pull everything together into one blog yet, but I would say that Lawgirl will probably phase out by March 2010, if not before. No worries, though, I’m still going to be a part of the blogging world – just not with the angst that was here before.
Thoughts?
Tomorrow I am looking forward to this:
And this:
And this:
(I can’t help it, I love his butt!!)
And this:
And other things I am not going to share here, lol.
But in any case, I have some posts scheduled so that it will seem as though I am not even gone!
Also, I am reading all blogs still (if you’re on my blogroll, I am reading you), but have not had a ton of time to comment or return emails. I promise I will when we get back.
Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!!
The Salvation Army’s Adopt-A-Family
The Adopt-A-Family (AAF) program matches impoverished families with individual or group 
sponsors to provide for their tangible needs at Christmas. Without the benefit of an adoption, these families would be looking forward to a very grim holiday. Being adopted is designed to be a once or, on very rare occasions, twice in a lifetime event for recipient families.
When an Adopt-A-Family match is made, the family information and wish lists are sent to the sponsor. The Salvation Army ensures that the family receives the gifts and food during the week before Christmas.
Many adoptees are referred by professional social workers who help deserving families complete an application during required home visits. An inventory of each family’s needs is taken and a Christmas wish list is compiled. This gift guide may include toys, clothing, household items and information regarding the utilities and heating sources. Often sponsors will make payments on utilities or purchase wood or heating oil. Sponsors are asked to provide two or more new gifts for each member of the household and to provide food for the family for four to seven days.
Sponsors come in many shapes and sizes. They can be individuals, families, small businesses or large corporations. In many of the larger corporations, different departments often each adopt a family. Many sponsors find the experience so fulfilling that they participate in the program year after year.
The Salvation Army would like to thank all of our Adopt-A-Family sponsors for your concern and generosity. We appreciate you.
To adopt a family, click here to find your local Salvation Army Office.
Every year Angel Tree, a program of Prison Fellowship, provides prisoners’ children with 
Christmas gifts on behalf of their parent in prison. This Christmas, Angel Tree seeks to reach 400,000 children across the U.S. In most cases, these children will be served directly by churches in their own communities.
But 50,000 of these children live in areas that cannot be matched with a local church. Christmas is quickly approaching and they risk not receiving a gift
But you or your business can help. For each gift you make of $35.20, Angel Tree will send one prisoner’s child a Christmas gift, the Gospel message, and a note from mom or dad. Simply by clicking the link below, you can help brighten Christmas for these children, and help restore relationships within families separated by prison walls.
GIVE A GIFT TODAY!
Why Angel Tree?
Every child has a story. For 1.5 million American children, that story is filled with the abandonment, loneliness, and shame that comes from having a mom or dad in prison. For many, it may also include following their parents down the same destructive road to incarceration.
For Angel from California, her story began with a deep anger toward her mother, who was serving her third stint in prison. Most days, she shut herself in her room, only to venture out to go to school, where she fought with other students, spat back at her teachers, and disregarded her assignments till she got F’s on her report card.
But over the next few months, Angel Tree®, through a local church, provided a way for Angel to go to camp, where she heard about Jesus and made a decision to forgive her mom. Now the two are good friends, and Angel has found a second home in the church that reached out to her with Christ’s love.
"Now that I’m going to church, God is with me more often. I can feel like I always really trust Him. He’s just like a friend," Angel says.
If a story like Angel’s could be re-written, any child’s can.
At Angel Tree, we find ways to reach out to children like Angel: By sharing Christ’s love with them at Christmas and by developing year-round relationships. In the end, it’s so much more than giving Christmas gifts-it’s about restoring families.
Will you help us re-write these stories from ones of desperation to ones of hope?
Hi all!! Sorry for being MIA,but I was all focused on my Big Interview. It was today and I think it went pretty darn well. 
I am, however, mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. Four hours of interviews with five different folks will do that to you, as you have to be peppy and “on” for that long. I answered question after question after question and described scenarios where I’d succeeded, where I’d failed, what I would have done different, what work I like the best, what makes me happy with a company, what my strengths are, what my challenges are, how much I know about the company, blah blah blah blah.
And no, I did NOT wear an outfit such as the one in the image to your left. I simply thought that was too funny not to share.
After all of that, I figured I deserved a t
reat. I went to visit my girl Ava at Sugar, Inc. for a cupcake. I had a Maple Something Something (sorry, was too tired to remember the actual name) and it was sooooo yummy!! Just the right amount of sweet for me to enjoy before I went on home. Ava says hi, Andie-girl!!
When I arrived at home, our electric was out. Blech!! It must have just happened before I got there, as my computer still had tons of battery power left. It was out for about 1.5 hours. Brrr!
I can’t wait for Friday and for our Romantic Getaway. That hot tub is calling my name!
Hope you all are having an amazing week!
- I have a Big Job Interview tomorrow. It’s from 10 am to 2 pm and I have to tell you, I would KILL for this job. I want it, I want it, I want it!!
- The company is one that the people love to work for.
- They are doing really well right now. Yay!!
- They are now ready to devote time and money to their training program. I’m hip to that!
- I’m ready – I have prepared for this as though I’m going to war. I have written out answers to possible questions, my portfolio was copied, collated, and bound into copies for my 5 interviewers.
- The Vet surprised me by booking us on yet ANOTHER Romantic Getaway for this weekend!! Woot woot!! I am really excited about this one and will share all about it with you when we return.
- I am so lucky to have him. I get incredibly bitchy when I am stressed out (and I am over the interview) and he just takes it all in stride.
- I hope that his poor knee is better by then. He slipped off of a stool while fixing something at work and hurt his knee, so he’s been home for two days now, nursing it (and he has 18 million vacation days to use before 12/31).
- I want the interview done so that my stomach stops hurting.
Cozy-crazy couple makes tight all right in the city’s tiniest studio
By ANGELA MONTEFINISE
Last Updated: 3:47 PM, December 8, 2009
Posted: 4:01 AM, December 6, 2009
If they can make it there, they can make it anywhere.
Zaarath and Christopher Prokop — and their two cats — live in the smallest apartment in the city, a 175-square-foot "microstudio" in Morningside Heights the couple bought three months ago for $150,000.
At 14.9 feet long and 10 feet wide, it’s about as narrow as a subway car and as claustrophobic as a jail cell. But to the Prokops, it’s a castle.
"When you first see it, the first thing you say is, ‘Holy crap, this place is small,’ " said Zaarath, 37, an accountant for liquor company Remy Martin. "But when I saw it, all I could think of is, I can do something with this. This is perfect for us. We love it."
PHOTOS: See the Prokop’s studio
The co-op is on the 16th floor of a doorman building on 110th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. But it’s only accessible by a staircase on the 15th floor.
It has two small windows with views of upper Manhattan; hardwood floors; a tiny kitchen with a mini-fridge and hotplate; and a closet-sized bathroom with a shower, sink and toilet.
"I’m amazed we can fit two people and two cats in there," Zaarath said. "But it’s harmonious at this point. I have friends who say they could never live with their husbands in a place this small. It’s a good thing we like each other enough to live there."
The couple wakes up every morning in their queen-size bed, which takes up one-third of the living space.
They then walk five feet toward the tiny kitchen, where they pull out their workout clothes, which are folded neatly in two cabinets above the sink. A third cabinet holds several containers of espresso for their only kitchen appliance, a cappuccino maker.
They turn off their hotplate, and use the space on the counter as a feeding area for their cats, Esmeralda and Beauregard.
"We don’t cook," Zaarath said, adding that their fridge never has any food in it. "So when you don’t cook, you don’t need plates or pots or pans. So we use that space for our clothes."
Once in their running attire, the two change the cat litter box (stored under the sink) and start their small Rumba vacuum — which operates automatically while they’re out, picking up cat hair.
They then jog to their jobs in Midtown, picking up along the way their work clothes, which are "strategically stashed at various dry cleaners."
Just in case the cleaners are closed, both have emergency clothes at their offices.
"I have a closet at my office," Zaarath said. "You don’t want to be standing outside a closed cleaners at 8:45 in your workout pants thinking, ‘Greeeeeat’ . . . It’s a great strategy. You always have fresh things to wear."
The only other furniture in the apartment is a 27-inch flat-screen TV attached to the wall; a brown leather storage bench at the foot of the bed that stores linens but also acts as a sofa; a cat climbing "tree," and a shelf/wine rack system that holds a radio, cable box, and several bottles and glasses.
One of the kitchen cabinets is full of champagne because Zaarath’s job allows them to order cases of it.
They don’t have a trash can. The second something needs to be thrown out, they walk to the chute in the hallway.
Their bathroom — about 3 by 9 feet — has a small pedestal sink with mirror, and a stand-alone shower.
"Every bit of space is utilized," said Christopher, 35, also an accountant, who beamed as he showed off the apartment. "We really have everything we need."
The Prokops, who met in Texas where they worked, lived in New Jersey before moving to the Big Apple. They started with a 1,600-square-foot apartment in Glen Ridge, then moved to a 900-square-foot place in Jersey City. Once they decided on Manhattan, they wanted to go even smaller.
"We used to be kind of frivolous," said Zaarath, a California native. "I used to collect vintage clothing, for example, and the cost of storing it and moving it was just not economically viable. So when we decided to move to Manhattan, we realized we’re not home that much because of our jobs. We don’t need that much space. We could go smaller. When I saw the ad in the paper, I knew I had to see it. And I knew it was right for us as soon as I saw it."
Real-estate broker Steven Goldschmidt, senior vice president of Warburg Realty, showed the Prokops the apartment, which used to be one of about nine maid’s quarters in the prewar building.
"We converted eight of them into four apartments," Goldschmidt said, with each apartment going for a little less than a half-million dollars.
"But we could not configure that one room within any of the floor plans we were looking at without spending oodles of money. So I came up with the idea to just make it the smallest apartment and see how it goes. I know a number of the luxury buildings are selling servants quarters and they’re not this small."
He said he got "a lot of calls" from parents looking to find apartments for their Columbia students or business people looking for a pied-à-terre.
"It was not on the market all that long," he said. "And the Prokops made us a great offer, and that’s it."
The couple will pay off their mortgage in two years, when they plan to remodel some of the apartment, adding a Murphy bed and larger windows. They will then be saddled only with their maintenance fee, which is just over $700 a month.
"It’s like having a rent-controlled apartment," she said. "We’re going to own something in Manhattan in two years. How many people can say that? And we’re very happy doing more with less."
She added that because they save money on their home, they can spend money in "areas that make our lives better," like restaurants and vacations. The two just got back from Beijing and have been to Japan and other countries.
"We get to really experience life and enjoy ourselves," she said. "We eat out all the time. On the weekends, we’re outside exploring the neighborhood. We’re at Riverside Park all the time. We’re not nesters. This apartment is perfect for someone active. If you want to stay home or entertain, this is just not the apartment for you."
She joked that the tiny apartment gets her out of hosting duties and dissuades long-term guests.
"No one ever stays too long," she said. "It’s too small."
She said Christopher’s parents stayed in the apartment while they were in China, and the two suitcases they brought was too much.
"They were sort of fumbling over each other," Zaarath said.
With the holidays coming, the Prokops plan to hang a wreath and put up Christmas bushes — but in the hallway.
"Maybe I’ll just get Christmas-tree pajamas and wear them around," laughed Zaarath. "That’ll be good."
Live in a tiny New York apartment? E-mail amontefinise@nypost.com to tell your story.
Colin Firth gets naked for "A Single Man"
By Jill Serjeant Jill Serjeant 2 hrs 19 mins ago
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – For more than 20 years, Colin Firth has been the movie industry’s go-to, buttoned-up English man.
But audiences have never seen him quite as emotionally (and physically) naked beneath that characteristic quiet restraint as in fashion designer Tom Ford’s directing debut, "A Single Man."
Firth, 49, whose past roles include the awkward but alluring Mark Darcy in "Bridget Jones’s Diary" and the diffident Jamie Bennett in "Love Actually", turns in what critics say is an Oscar-worthy role of a lifetime as a gay, 1960s British professor grieving over the loss of his lover.
"A Single Man", which has already brought Firth a best actor award at the Venice film festival, opens in limited release in the United States on Friday.
For Firth, the role of George making his way through the last day of a broken-hearted life he plans to end by suicide, was "an embarrassment of riches" — and one that despite more than two decades in show business has rarely come his way.
"Despite this man’s rather contained exterior, he experiences despair, lust, frivolity, anger, fear, wistfulness, regret, tenderness — the list of emotions is extraordinary," the actor told Reuters.
"I can’t remember when I was last carrying a film. To have a man’s story entrusted to me has been very rare. It’s in your hands. You have three wonderful co-stars, but basically George is yours for the day," he said.
Ford based the movie on Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel of the same name and said he chose Firth for "his ability to telegraph what he’s thinking through his eyes, almost without moving his face, and certainly without saying a line."
Happily, for a movie that is long on close-ups and short on dialogue, Firth concurs. "To me, the most interesting thing in cinema is the human face," he said.
"TOO GOOD TO BE IGNORED"
Time magazine’s Richard Corliss said Firth makes the ache of lost love "subtly, splendidly visible". Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly said his performance was bound to win Oscar attention, adding "he’s simply too good to be ignored."
Firth has never been nominated for a major Hollywood acting award in his own right. But in that singularly British self-effacing way, he prefers to hand much of the credit to Ford as both director and writer, and his fellow actors Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult.
With virtually no rehearsals and a brisk 21-day shoot, Firth had little time to prepare. He said Ford gave him complete freedom in a script that was all about subtext — and a large pair of black-rimmed 1960s eyeglasses.
"It was a bit more like playing jazz than sticking to a formal score. Everything seemed to come naturally," Firth said.
"(Ford) was able to see what I was doing and come in and photograph it. It’s really as simple as that. There were no instruction
The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) charity dedicated to building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families.
The DAV was founded in 1920 by disabled veterans returning from World War I to represent their unique interests. In 1932, the DAV was congressionally chartered as the official voice of the nation’s wartime disabled veterans.
With our brave Americans leaving the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the DAV’s services and advocacy are as relevant and critical today as in any time in our nation’s history.
Annually, the DAV represents more than 200,000 veterans and their dependents with claims for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense.
The DAV’s Voluntary Services Program operates a comprehensive network of volunteers who provide veterans free rides to and from VA medical facilities and improve care and morale for sick and disabled veterans.
The DAV’s 1.2 million members provide grassroots advocacy and services in communities nationwide. From educating lawmakers and the public about important issues to supporting services and legislation to help disabled veterans — the DAV is there to promote its message of hope to all who have served and sacrificed.
Doesn’t the DAV get funds from the federal government?
Contrary to popular belief, DAV receives no money or grants from the federal government. Our service programs are sustained by contributions such as yours.
Do DAV service programs overlap or duplicate government programs?
No. DAV programs pick up and fill the void left by government agencies. This is especially true given government budget cut-backs which have made the need greater over the past several years.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes, the DAV is a tax-exempt organization, and all contributions are tax-deductible according to IRS regulations.
Where is the DAV located?
The DAV is located at the following address:
Disabled American Veterans National Headquarters
3725 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, KY 41076
877-I Am A Vet (877-426-2838)
(859) 441-7300
Map
Mailing Address
Disabled American Veterans
PO Box 14301
Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301
How much of my donation goes to help disabled veterans?
In our last accounting year, 76.2% of all contributions were used for programs of service to disabled veterans and their families. While that figure already compares favorably with other national charities, we constantly strive to further increase efficiency and effectiveness in the use of the funds you entrust to the DAV.
Is DAV approved by watch dog agencies?
DAV meets all standards and is approved by the leading consumer agency, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
CBS cancels another daytime drama
42 mins ago
NEW YORK – CBS is canceling the soap opera "As the World Turns" after more than a half-century on the air.
CBS says the final episode will air next September, in its 54th year. Daytime dramas have been in a long-term ratings decline, and CBS ended the daytime soap "Guiding Light" earlier this year.
Through the years, actors Marisa Tomei, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey and James Earl Jones have appeared on the show.
The cancellation will leave CBS with only two daytime dramas: "The Young and the Restless" and "Bold and Beautiful."
___
Since its founding in 1881 by visionary leader Clara Barton, the American Red Cross has been the nation’s premier emergency response organization. As part of a worldwide movement that offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war, the American Red Cross distinguishes itself by also aiding victims of devastating natural disasters. Over the years, the organization has expanded its services, always with the aim of preventing and relieving suffering.
Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs.
The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors—across the street, across the country, and across the world—in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new—the more than half a million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through over 700 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world.
Some four million people give blood—the gift of life—through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. And the Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 186 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world’s most vulnerable people.
An average of 92 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
Give and Get Involved
You can help save someone’s life by performing CPR because you’ve been certified. Or enjoy going to the beach without fear of drowning because you took Red Cross swimming lessons. Getting involved with the Red Cross leads to many possibilities. Here are some ways to give and get involved with the Red Cross:
Donate
You have the power to make a difference in someone’s life. All you have to do is make a contribution. Every donation helps provide services to those in need. When disaster strikes, your contributions can help bring comfort to those in distress.
Volunteer
You can make a difference every day. You can help comfort victims of a house fire or teach a pet first aid class. Whether you are interested in community services, international services, disaster services or any of the other lines of services in the Red Cross, you’ll find something that fits your niche.
Give Blood
You can help prevent-life threatening reactions of patients. Donor blood must be compatible with the recipient’s blood, and it is very likely that a donor within the same racial/ethnic group will be a better match.
Become an Employee
You can make a difference every day. No matter what your interests are, you’ll find something that you enjoy at the Red Cross. Become an employee and see first hand how we work together to provide relief and help save lives.
To give blood, volunteer, or donate money, please visit the main website and find your local chapter.
If you love Modern Family, you will love Arrested Development!! It’s only the best show ever – but was canceled because very few folks had that sense of humor at that time.
Johnnie’s House Inc. is a grassroots Philanthropist nonprofit organization. Our focus is on 
Domestic Violence. Get in touch with us today. We offer our services to Women, Men and Children throughout the United States.
MISSION STATEMENT
Johnnie’s House, Inc. is a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Georgia. The mission of Johnnie’s House Inc. is to provide shelter and services to abused men, women and their children and to partner with communities throughout the United States to recognize and respond appropriately to families affected by domestic violence.
• What is Battering?
• Why Do Men Batter Women?
• Why Do Women Batter Men
• Why are children Battered
• Barrier to Leaving a Violent Relationship
• Violent Relationships
• Predictor of Domestic Violence
Battering is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence. Battering happens when one person believes they are entitled to control another. Assault, battering and domestic violence are crimes.
Definitions: Abuse of family members can take many forms. Battering may include emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, using children, threats, using male privilege, intimidation, isolation, and a variety of other behaviors used to maintain fear, intimidation and power. In all cultures, the perpetrators are most commonly the men of the family . Women are most commonly the victims of violence. However Men, Elderly and child abuse are also prevalent.
Acts of domestic violence generally fall into one or more of the following categories:
Physical Battering – The abuser’s physical attacks or aggressive behavior can range from bruising to murder. It often begins with what is excused as trivial contacts which escalate into more frequent and serious attacks.
Sexual Abuse – Physical attack by the abuser is often accompanied by, or culminates in, sexual violence wherein the woman is forced to have sexual intercourse with her abuser or take part in unwanted sexual activity. 
Psychological Battering -The abuser’s psychological or mental violence can include constant verbal abuse, harassment, excessive possessiveness, isolating the woman from friends and family, deprivation of physical and economic resources, and destruction of personal property. Battering escalates. It often begins with behaviors like threats, name calling, violence in her presence (such as punching a fist through a wall), and/or damage to objects or pets. It may escalate to restraining, pushing, slapping, and/or pinching. The battering may include punching, kicking, biting, sexual assault, tripping, throwing. Finally, it may become life-threatening with serious behaviors such as choking, breaking bones, or the use of weapons.
ohnnie’s House Inc., is a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Georgia. The mission of Johnnie’s House, Inc. is to provide shelter and services to abused men,women, and children and to partner with communities throughout the United States to recognize and respond appropriately to families affected by domestic violence.
Johnnie’s House Inc., serves as a safe temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence. Johnnie’s House Inc., can offer short-term shelter by providing a safe house, a retreat, and a demonstration of family love. Through her own victory over domestic violence and after living in countless Domestic violence shelters with her children, founder, Johnnie Gaskins felt compelled to help others in similar situations. Through her experience, along with her staff, Johnnie’s House Inc. offers encouragement and love in a stress free and safe environment.
In 2000, Ms. Gaskins vision of starting a Domestic Violence shelter program became a reality. Johnnie’s House was established as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) orgranization for men, women and children of domestic violence. By 2001, a Board of Directors was developed positions developed and a budget prepared. In 2001, the first client was received as an outpatient. Using her own personal limited funds, Ms. Gaskins housed her clients temporarily at several undisclosed locations and helped her clients rebuild and reestablish their lives. By the end of the month, Ms. Gaskins has several cases in the file and a bank account was opened with a gift of $500.00 from benefit program.
Johnnie’s House is a National Domestic Violence program that provides " A Safe Haven" in all (50) states as well as other services.
Johnnie’s House assists one in obtaining the strength, ability, capabilty and means to perform effectively in life. Services to include an umbrella of comprehensive integrated programs that range from personal development counseling, home ownership, crisis intervention, legal advocacy, children advocacy, and job training to childcare services and health & fitness. The organization provides information on how to prevent domestic violence and help victims maintain a healthy productive lifestyle. Ms. Gaskins can be viewed on Atlanta’s TV 57 on her talk show "Johnnie" which deals with domestic violence issues. Please tune in weekly on Atlanta’s WAEC 860 am radio station.
• Temporary housing for victims and their children
• Crisis intervention/Domestic violence prevention
• Health/Fitness
• Transportation
• Childcare
• Individual counseling and support groups
• Food pantry
• Clothes bank
• Pre-employment counseling
• Career counseling/training
• Community awareness campaigns
• Spiritual and emotional support
• Advocacy in the Public policy arena
• General information and referrals
• Assist with name changes
• Assist with aquiring "A Safe Haven" in all (50) states
n desperate times, a celluar phone can be a lifeline
Help Stop The Abuse
Donate A Celluar Phone No Longer In Use
The Johnnie’s House Cell phone campaign is designed to collect wireless phones that are NO longer being used by consumers. This is a national education and philanthropic initiative aimed at combating domestic violence. The campaign is helping to increase the number of wireless phones available to victims in need.
The cell phone campaign is designed to collect as many phones as necessary to meet the needs of victims of abuse in America. With the donated wireless phones program, victims of domestic violence receive the wireless phone and airtime.
Wireless phones are preprogrammed to dial 9-1-1 and one non-emergency number to enable a victim to summon help with the push of a button and assist in the transition from a life of fear to a feeling of protection 24 hours a day.
In the hands of domestic violence victims, wireless phones can literally be a lifeline, enabling victims to call for immediate assistance when they feel threatened. For a victim of abuse, having a wireless phone can mean the difference between safety and harm, and between the start of a better life or continued physical and psychological damage.
Please ask members and Friends to donate their Old handheld cell phones by mailing them to the address on this letter. You can ask business owners and your employer’s to allow us to set up a container as a drop off location. Please call 1.888.696.5379 for a drop off location in your state. NOTE: BAG PHONES CANNOT BE ACCEPTED
Mail donated cell phones to:
620 Peachtree NE #1902
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Thank you,
Johnnie M. Gaskins
Founder/Chief officer
This time I was online shopping at Nordie’s.
Oh my, I want this SO very much!! In both colors, actually!! But only in leather – I don’t love nylon.
Who doesn’t love Dooney & Burke?
I love the shape of this Michael Kors bag.
Love the shape and color of this Kate Spade!
Ditto on this Kate Spade!!
We are Homes for Our Troops, a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization 
founded in 2004. We are strongly committed to helping those who have selflessly given to our country and have returned home with serious disabilities and injuries since September 11, 2001. It is our duty and our honor to assist severely injured Servicemen and Servicewomen and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and to coordinate the process of building a home that provides maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently.
The homes provided by Homes for Our Troops are given at NO COST to the Veterans we serve.
Homes for Our Troops Has Been Named Top Rated Charity by American Institute of Philanthropy
The American Institute of Philanthropy, one of the country’s premier charity watchdog organizations, has included Homes for Our Troops in their “Top-Rated Veterans & Military Charities” listing. Only 5 of the 32 Veterans charities rated by AIP are included in the Top-Rated Category.
Because of their stringent review process, the AIP is described as "the pit bull of watchdogs" by the New York Times. Newsweek said "It’s the toughest of the bunch. Because it disregards certain, potentially suspect, expenses and donations, it fails some nonprofits that the other raters approve."
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization?
Yes, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and your contributions are tax-deductible.
Our Federal ID # is 54-2143612.
Do you build only brand new homes, or do you adapt existing homes?
Most of the projects we undertake are the building of new homes. In rare cases, especially in areas with very high land costs, it is more cost effective to buy an existing home and renovate it with all the special modifications needed as dictated by the particular disabilities and injuries of the veteran. In some cases, the Veteran already owns a home, so we renovate the home with all the necessary special adaptations.
Who do you provide assistance to?
We provide assistance to the most severely wounded service members who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Do you help severely wounded service members from all branches of the military?
Yes, we provide assistance to members of all branches of the military who qualify for our assistance.
Does Homes for Our Troops charge the Veteran for the home?
No. The Veteran does not pay anything toward the cost of the home, and there is no mortgage to be paid in the future.
Can I contact a veteran?
Due to privacy issues, we do not provide the contact information of the veterans we are working with.
How did HFOT get started?
John Gonsalves started the organization in 2004 after watching a news report of a severely injured Service Member who had returned from Iraq. He thought to himself "What now, what happens to this person now?".
He searched for an organization that he assumed was already in place where he could donate his building expertise for a few weeks. When he found out that none existed, he quit his contractor job and started Homes for Our Troops.
Do you share my personal information with any other organizations?
We do not share your personal information with any other organizations.
Will these homes still be needed when the war ends?
With more than 30,000 injured service members to date, we see the need for our services increasing rather than decreasing in the future.
I am from the media. How do I interview someone at HFOT?
Please call our office at 508-823-3300 to set up an appointment for an interview.
How do I contact you?
Email us at info@homesforourtroops.org, call us at 508-823-3300 or visit our office..
How do I start a fundraiser?
Please visit our "Get Involved" page for ideas, tips and tricks on how to organize a successful fundraiser.
Can I use your logo in advertising my fundraiser?
Please download our Event Planning Guide from the downloads page, fill it out and fax – mail – email it back to us so that we may review and approve the use of our logo in your promotion of your event.
What can kids do to help?
Visit our website for kids at http://www.kidsforourtroops.org/ to learn about the things other kids have done to raise awareness and funds for Homes for Our Troops.
FINANCIAL / DONATIONS
What percentage of my donation goes to overhead?
Only 7% of donations were used for administration and fundraising in our fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.
View our financial statements here.
How do I make a donation?
You may make a donation using your credit card online here , by calling our office from 9 am to 5pm EST at 866-7-TROOPS or print out the form and mail in a donation to our office at:
Homes for Our Troops
6 Main St.
Taunton, MA 02780
Where does your funding come from?
We receive donations from individual donors, corporations and foundations across the country.
I am in the home construction industry and want to donate my services and/or materials. How do I do that?
You can register on our web site through our online form, and if we take on a veteran’s project in your area we will contact you if we can use your services.
I am not a professional in the home construction industry, but I do have home construction skills and would like to volunteer my services. Can I do that?
If you have home construction abilities but you are not in the home building industry, please register as a contractor through our online form, and if we can use your talents we will contact you.
I really don’t have any home building skills, but I would like to volunteer to support a project in some other way. How can I do that?
If you want to help a project, the best way to do that is to find a way to raise funds to help us pay for costs that we cannot get via donations for materials and labor. Click on this link to learn some of the many ways you can help us build these homes.
Do you have any Chapters across the country?
No. We have only our one office in Taunton, Massachusetts. We do, however, have many supporters who hold fundraisers in their state to benefit Homes for Our Troops. Click on this link to learn some of the many ways you can help.
Do you accept donations of land?
YES!! The cost to purchase land is the biggest cash outlay we have on many projects. If you have land you want to donate that is permitted as a buildable lot, or that could get permitted fairly easily, please call our office at 508-823-3300.
Can I donate stock to HFOT?
Yes. Click on this link to learn how easy it is to donate stock. There can also be tax advantages to donating stock, so please talk to your financial advisor to see if donating stock makes sense for you.
Can I name HFOT in my will?
Yes. You can include HFOT in your will. You can donate either a bequest (a donation we can use right for current projects) or you can donate an endowment (a donation where we use the only the earnings from the endowment). Please call Tom Benoit, our VP/CFO if you want to learn more about including HFOT in your will.
Completed and Current Home Building / Home Adaptation Projects
This effort will take millions of dollars of ongoing donations to build houses for our veterans in need. There are hundreds of soldiers who will be needing our help from across the country and more coming home each day with life-altering disabilities and injuries sustained while fighting for our freedom. We have been contacted by family and friends of veterans who need our help and we hope to have every state in America participate. It does not matter what state or which branch of the military these soldiers are from, these are Our American heroes, and we all need to unite, support and help them. We hope you will. Click on a highlighted state or choose from the links below to view current and completed homes .
Completed Homes
Homes In Progress
AL | CA | CO | CT | DE | FL | GA | KY | LA | MN | MA
MI | MT | NC | NY | NJ | OK | PA | TN | TX | UT | VA | WI
AL | CA | FL | GA | IL | MA | MD | MI | MO
NC | NJ | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WI
Contribute to Your Local Project!
