Paris Hilton

Jimmy  Darts

Flavor Flav

SB Mowing

Kalina Silverman / @makebigtalk on Instagram

The Dogist

Patriotic Kenny Foundation

Pattie Gonia

Little Miss Flint

Carlos Eduardo Espina

Samuel Weidenhofer

Ben Saunders - Flawless Cleaning

Peter Bond

That Good News Girl

Ask Uncle Jack

Amy Jandrisevits

FowlMouthFarmer

Tess Bohne

Latonja and Taylor Richardson

Officer Richard Craig

<p>The UnderDog Community Project is a mutual aid organization that provides free veterinary services, vaccines, food, and medical care to the beloved dogs and cats of unhoused and low-income individuals.
</p>

<p>YOUR DONATION HELPS PETS JUST LIKE YOURS!
</p>

<p>Website: <a href="https://www.underdogcommunityproject.org/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.underdogcommunityproject.org/</a>
</p>

<p>Venmo: @OliviaSigel
</p>

<p>Instagram: @udcommunityproject<br /><br />Tiktok: @underdogcommunityproject
</p>

UnderDog Community Project

<div>Our very own <strong>Paige is getting married in just 3 weeks</strong>!! ❤️
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<div>Those of us lucky enough to know &amp; work w Paige wanted to do something special to celebrate her &amp; this exciting next chapter. After the wedding, Paige &amp; her fiancé are heading from LA to Oahu for their honeymoon, &amp; we’d love to help make the trip a little extra memorable.
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<div>Whether it goes toward an amazing dinner, a snorkeling adventure, a few too many martinis by the beach, or just some well-earned time to relax together, we hope this can be a little collective wedding gift from all of us.
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<div>There’s no pressure to donate, but feel free to chip in a few bucks to celebrate her! Let's let Paige know how excited we are for her &amp; how much we’re cheering her + her soon-to-be husband on.
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<div>Here’s to the wedding, the honeymoon, &amp; everything that comes next. Congrats, Paigeee!!! Hope your wedding day is a blast &amp; can't wait to see the gorgeous pics!! ❤️
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Let's celebrate Paige’s big day!

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<div>
 I never thought I would be in a position where I might have to sleep outside in the city where I work, 35 minutes away from my wife and stepson, just so I can keep showing up to my job and providing for my family.
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 I have a home. I have a family waiting for me there. I have a job I am determined to keep.
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 What I do not have right now is a working vehicle to reliably connect those things.
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<div>
 My name is Jeff Taylor. I am a husband, a stepfather, a working provider, and a graduate student pursuing my master's degree. Our family's only vehicle is currently unusable after a replacement engine installed through Ford's repair process suffered another major failure only months later.
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 I am not giving up. I am working. I am taking as much overtime as I can over the next several weeks and trying to personally save $2,000–$3,000 toward dependable transportation. I am continuing school, contacting Ford and the dealerships involved, and trying every reasonable option I can find.
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 But hard work alone may not fix this fast enough.
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 That is why I am asking for help.
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<div>
 In November 2024, my wife and I purchased a used 2019 Ford EcoSport from Red McCombs Ford in San Antonio with approximately 54,000 miles.
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 Our credit was not good, and we were not approved for the new vehicle we originally hoped to buy. We needed transportation, so we accepted the option available to us and believed we were buying something our family could depend on.
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 Within approximately 24 hours, the vehicle was dead and without power.
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 That problem was addressed, but it was only the beginning.
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 Soon afterward, we began experiencing serious vibration. We later discovered badly worn tires, warped rotors, and severely worn brakes. The tires became so deteriorated that internal tire wire was visible.
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 We paid out of pocket to correct those safety issues because we needed the vehicle.
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<div>
 Later, we learned that the EcoSport was affected by a Ford safety recall that existed before we purchased it. We had not been informed about that recall when the vehicle was sold to us.
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 I cannot say exactly what decision we would have made if we had known everything at the time. But knowing about an active recall, along with the condition of the tires, brakes, rotors, and other problems we discovered so soon after purchase, absolutely would have mattered.
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 Still, we kept moving forward. We made the repairs, made the payments, and depended on the EcoSport because it was our family's only vehicle.
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 Then, in October 2025, less than a year after we purchased it, the original engine suffered a catastrophic failure.
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 The vehicle went to Griffith Ford in San Marcos and remained in Ford's repair process from approximately October 2025 until March 2026, about five months. During that time, we continued making payments on a vehicle we could not use.
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 Ford eventually authorized a Field Service Action repair, and Griffith Ford replaced both the engine and turbocharger.
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 When we got the EcoSport back in March 2026, we were relieved. After everything we had already gone through, we believed this was finally our fresh start.
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<div>
 Three months later, the check-engine light came back on.
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<div>
 In June 2026, we returned to Griffith Ford. Griffith Ford has since explained that this replacement engine carried coverage for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever came first.
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<div>
 At the time of that June visit, we were still approximately 1,000 miles below the 12,000-mile limit.
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 We specifically asked whether the problem might be related to the replacement engine and covered under warranty. We were told no.
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 We were also told that approximately $225 would be required to diagnose the vehicle. What was not explained to us was that the replacement engine was still within its stated mileage coverage or that if the diagnosis revealed a covered condition, that charge would not ultimately apply.
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 Had that been clearly explained, we would have authorized the diagnosis.
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<div>
 Only a short time later, the situation became much worse.
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 In August 2026, the EcoSport began losing power. It struggled to accelerate and climb hills. Turbo and powertrain warnings appeared.
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 We took it back to Griffith Ford and were told the replacement engine has a failed head gasket and that the vehicle needs another complete engine replacement.
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<div>
 That is difficult for me to even write.
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 In March, Ford returned our vehicle with a replacement engine and turbocharger.
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 In June, we brought it back with a check-engine light while still approximately 1,000 miles inside the stated replacement-engine mileage coverage.
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 In August, that same replacement engine now needs to be replaced again.
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 Because we drove significant miles between March and August, the vehicle is now beyond Ford's stated 12,000-mile limit. My concern is simple: we brought the vehicle back with a problem before that limit expired.
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 I have spent hours emailing, calling, gathering records, and trying to get someone to look at the full history instead of only the mileage showing today.
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<div>
 Griffith Ford's Director of Service Operations has now personally reviewed our case. He confirmed that Ford paid for the previous engine and turbocharger replacement, confirmed the current failed head gasket, and has said Griffith Ford is willing to advocate with Ford Motor Company for financial assistance.
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<div>
 I am grateful for that progress, but there is still no guarantee Ford will cover the entire repair.
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<div>
 While Ford reviews the case, my family's life keeps moving.
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<div>
 Rent does not pause. Bills do not pause. My education does not pause. My wife and stepson still depend on me, and my job still expects me to show up.
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 We also still owe approximately $16,108 on the EcoSport.
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 Because the vehicle currently has a failed engine, Red McCombs Ford estimated its current as-is value at only about $2,500–$3,000. That leaves us potentially more than $13,000 upside down if we simply trade it in as it sits.
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 Some of that financial position is ours to own. Our credit was poor when we financed the vehicle, so our interest rate was high. We also went through hardship after my grandmother passed away, and our lender worked with us through payment arrangements that helped us get through that time.
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 I do not want to blame someone else for things that belong to us.
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<div>
 But I also cannot ignore the path that brought us here: a vehicle sold to us with an active recall we were not told about, serious problems discovered almost immediately, an original engine failure, a Ford replacement engine, a return visit with another problem while that replacement engine was still inside its stated mileage coverage, and now another engine failure only months later.
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 My wife and I are trying to move forward without making another financial mistake.
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 After everything we have experienced, I am afraid of buying another inexpensive used vehicle and ending up in this same situation again.
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 I am not looking for luxury. I do not care about having the nicest vehicle or the newest features.
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 I need something dependable.
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 Something that starts in the morning, gets me to work, and brings me home to my family.
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 I am employed, and my plan is to work as much overtime as I can over the next several weeks. My goal is to personally save between $2,000 and $3,000 toward a down payment.
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 I want anyone considering helping us to know that I am not asking strangers to solve a problem while I sit back and wait.
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 Every overtime shift I can take, I will take. Every dollar I can reasonably save, I will save. I will keep pursuing Ford for help, keep exploring financing, keep pursuing my master's degree, and keep doing everything I can to provide for my family.
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 I am asking for help because there is a gap between what I can earn quickly enough and what my family needs right now.
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 That gap has led me to consider something difficult to admit publicly.
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 My job is approximately 35 minutes from my home.
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 If I cannot find dependable transportation, I may have to stay near my workplace during the days I work. I cannot afford weeks of hotel rooms, endless rideshares, or losing my job.
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 So if every other option fails, I have seriously considered sleeping outside near the city where I work.
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 Not because I do not have somewhere to live.
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 My home is 35 minutes away. My wife is there. My stepson is there. My life is there.
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 I would be sleeping outside simply because staying close enough to work might be the only way I can guarantee that I keep bringing a paycheck home.
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 As a husband and stepfather, that thought hurts more than the broken vehicle.
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 I do not want my wife worrying about whether I am safe. I do not want my stepson wondering why I cannot come home after work. But if the choice is between my comfort and providing for my family, I will choose my family every time.
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 I am asking for help because I hope I do not have to make that choice.
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 Any money raised will go toward creating a realistic path back to dependable transportation. That may include a down payment, temporary transportation to and from work, towing costs, expenses involved in getting into another dependable vehicle, or any portion of the current repair Ford ultimately refuses to cover.
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 If Ford agrees to replace the engine, I will update everyone. If our transportation situation changes, I will update everyone. I want anyone who helps us to know what is happening and what their help accomplished.
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 This is not really about owning a nicer car.
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 It is about maintaining the stability my family has left while I work to rebuild what this situation has taken from us.
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 I want to keep my job. I want to finish my master's degree. I want to continue providing for the people I love.
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 And at the end of a long day, I want to do something most people rarely have to think about.
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 I want to go home.
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 I want to clock out, get into a dependable vehicle, drive those 35 minutes, walk through my front door, see my wife and stepson, and know that I made it back to the people I was working for in the first place.
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 I am going to keep fighting. I am going to keep working. I am going to take the overtime. I am going to keep saving. I am going to keep pushing Ford for answers. I am going to keep going to school.
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 I am not asking for an easy road.
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 I am asking for a little help staying on the road long enough to keep building a better life for my family.
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 If you can donate anything, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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 If you are not in a position to donate, please consider sharing our story. One share may put this in front of someone who understands what it is like to be one unexpected breakdown away from everything becoming unstable.
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<div>
 Thank you for taking the time to read this, for sharing it, praying for us, encouraging us, or helping in any way you can.
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 More than anything, thank you for helping me keep working and helping me come home.
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<div>
 Jeff Taylor and Family
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Help Me Keep Working and Come Home to My Family

<div>HI THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING MOMIJI! Any extra $ will be used for outpatient care for her (most likely hoffman institute) so appreciate all the donations and support!
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<div>Qrion (Momiji) is a friend and a talented musician on the Anjuna label who is going through a difficult time right now. She is facing the added stress of needing help with new medications, and those costs can quickly become overwhelming. On top of that, she also needs support with rent while she stabilizes.
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<div>As her best friend I see a lot of things that the public doesn’t and would really appreciate the music community to help her during this time! I’m also thinking of setting up a patreon for her so she can get consistent support coming in from people who love and believe in her.
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<div>if you need to find me my twitter is @hyp_e.
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<div>This fundraiser is being created to help ease some of that immediate pressure so she can focus on taking care of herself and getting through this challenging period.
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<div>The support from this fundraiser will go toward covering Qrion (Momiji)’s medication costs and helping with rent as she works toward stability. Every donation, no matter the size, can make a meaningful difference and help create a little more breathing room during a hard moment. <strong>Please help if you can.</strong>
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<div>If donating is not possible, sharing this fundraiser and keeping her in your thoughts would also be deeply appreciated.
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Support Qrion Momiji Through Recovery

<p>Nym is a cat entrepreneur interested in creating her own payment method. Business case coming soon...
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Nym Pay

<div><strong>Venezuela Needs Our Help Now</strong>
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<div>Following the devastating earthquake in Venezuela, We Love Foundation Inc., doing business as I Love Venezuela Foundation, is launching an emergency relief campaign to support affected families and communities.
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<div>For more than 13 years, our foundation has worked through trusted collaborations with global partners, including Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), as well as Venezuelan nonprofit organizations, volunteers, and teams working on the ground.
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<div>All donations raised through this campaign will be deposited into We Love Foundation Inc.’s organizational bank account and used exclusively to support earthquake-relief efforts in Venezuela. Funds and humanitarian aid will be deployed through trusted nonprofit partners and local organizations serving the affected areas.
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<div>Together, we will help provide urgently needed assistance, including:
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<ul>
<li>Food and clean water
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<li>Medical assistance and essential supplies
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<li>Hygiene kits
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<li>Temporary shelter and emergency materials
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<li>Transportation and logistical support
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<li>Direct assistance for vulnerable families
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</ul>
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<div>Aid will be prioritized according to the severity of the impact, urgent needs identified by our partners on the ground, and our ability to deliver assistance quickly, safely, and responsibly.
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<div>We are committed to transparency and will continue sharing updates as donations are deployed and relief efforts progress.
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<div>Please donate and share this campaign. Every contribution, regardless of size, can make a meaningful difference.
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<div>Organizations, companies, donors, logistics partners, and volunteer groups interested in collaborating may contact us through our website or social media:
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<div><br />
</div>
<div>www.welove.foundation
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<div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/welove_foundation?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@welove_foundation</a>
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<div>Every donation matters. Venezuela needs us now.
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<div><strong>Venezuela Necesita Nuestra Ayuda Ahora</strong>
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<div>Tras el devastador terremoto en Venezuela, We Love Foundation Inc., que opera bajo el nombre de I Love Venezuela Foundation, está lanzando una campaña de ayuda de emergencia para apoyar a las familias y comunidades afectadas.
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<div><br />
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<div>Durante más de 13 años, nuestra fundación ha trabajado mediante colaboraciones de confianza con aliados internacionales, incluyendo Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), así como con organizaciones sin fines de lucro venezolanas, voluntarios y equipos que trabajan directamente sobre el terreno.
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<div>Todas las donaciones recaudadas a través de esta campaña serán depositadas en la cuenta bancaria institucional de We Love Foundation Inc. y utilizadas exclusivamente para apoyar los esfuerzos de ayuda tras el terremoto en Venezuela. Los fondos y la ayuda humanitaria serán distribuidos a través de nuestros aliados sin fines de lucro y organizaciones locales que trabajan directamente en las zonas afectadas.
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<div>Juntos, ayudaremos a proporcionar asistencia urgente, incluyendo:
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<ul>
<li>Alimentos y agua potable
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<li>Atención médica y suministros esenciales
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<li>Kits de higiene
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<li>Refugios temporales y materiales de emergencia
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<li>Transporte y apoyo logístico
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<li>Asistencia directa para familias vulnerables
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</ul>
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<div>La ayuda será priorizada de acuerdo con la gravedad del impacto, las necesidades urgentes identificadas por nuestros aliados sobre el terreno y nuestra capacidad para brindar asistencia de manera rápida, segura y responsable.
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<div>Estamos comprometidos con la transparencia y continuaremos compartiendo actualizaciones a medida que las donaciones sean destinadas y avancen los esfuerzos de ayuda.
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<div>Por favor, dona y comparte esta campaña. Cada contribución, sin importar su tamaño, puede marcar una diferencia significativa.
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<div><br />
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<div>Las fundaciones, empresas, donantes, aliados logísticos y grupos de voluntarios interesados en colaborar pueden comunicarse con nosotros a través de nuestro sitio web o redes sociales:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>www.welove.foundation
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<div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/welove_foundation?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@welove_foundation</a>
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<div>Cada donación cuenta. Venezuela nos necesita ahora.
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Emergency Relief for Venezuela Earthquake Victims

<div>Hello! My dear brother just accepted a fantastic new job opportunity. This would take him and his family to beautiful Eureka, CA. Unfortunately, this is a heck of a move! Please consider donating to help them out.
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Help my brother and his family move to Eureka

<div>Cody is the kind of dog who makes everyone he meets smile — endlessly cheerful, full of life, and completely devoted to the little girl who calls him her best friend. The two have been inseparable since the day she welcomed him home, and their bond is something truly special. Cody was adopted by the Mariani family in Feb 2025.
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<div>On April 8, Cody was rushed to the ER after suddenly losing the ability to stand or walk. Doctors quickly identified a dangerously low platelet count, and further tests revealed significant internal bleeding caused by a mass in his liver. He remained in the ER for two days under close monitoring.
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<div>Over the past couple of weeks, it has been incredibly difficult for the Mariani family to watch Cody slow down and struggle without his usual energy. Their sweet, joyful boy now needs surgery to remove the mass. The doctors are optimistic — they believe that once the mass is removed, Cody will make a full recovery and go right back to living his happy, normal life. While the nature of the mass is still being determined, the medical team feels confident about his prognosis.
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<div>The Mariani family has already poured so much into getting Cody the care he needs — over $7,000 in the past few weeks alone, between emergency vet visits, diagnostic tests, and specialist consultations.  The surgery and follow-up care are expected to cost an additional $15,000. They've been doing everything right, consulting multiple veterinarians to find the very best path forward for him. On top of the financial strain, they are carrying an overwhelming emotional burden and stress as they navigate this incredibly difficult time. Their love for Cody is absolute.
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<div>That's why we've created this GoFundMe — to help cover the cost of Cody's surgery and any follow-up care he may need along the way. Depending on what the doctors find, there could be additional procedures or treatments ahead, and the family wants to be ready to say yes to whatever Cody needs without hesitation. Every donation, big or small, brings him one step closer to wagging his tail again. Thank you so much for your kindness and support — it means the world to this family and to a very good boy who deserves to be playful
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<div>Cody again.
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Help Cody the Dog Get His Second Chance

<div>video link: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8bseW6e/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8bseW6e/</a>
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<div>Last night, something simple turned into something really special, and we can’t stop thinking about it.
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<div>On a busy Friday night, we ordered dinner from Domino’s, along with a Diet Coke. While we were waiting, we got a voicemail from our delivery driver, Dan, letting us know they were out of Diet Coke… but he’d gladly bring something else if we let him know what we wanted.
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<div>We tried calling the store back, but he had already left for delivery. No big deal, we figured we’d just take whatever substitution came with the order.
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<div>But when Dan arrived, he surprised us.
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<div>He apologized again for the inconvenience and then told us… he had stopped at the store himself to pick up Diet Coke for us.
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<div>On a busy Friday night. During deliveries. Completely out of his own time and effort.
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<div>We were honestly blown away. That level of care and kindness is rare these days.
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<div>We wanted to tip him more, but didn’t have cash on hand. We told him we’d call the store to leave a glowing review and come back with a cash tip.
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<div>That’s when Dan shared something that made this moment even more meaningful:
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<div>He’s been working at Domino’s as a second job for 14 years… and he’s retiring in just a few weeks.
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<div>So here’s what we’re hoping to do.
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<div>TikTok loved Dan’s story, and suggested we come together to give him the send-off he deserves. If a small act of kindness can make such an impact on us, imagine what a community of people can do for him.
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<div>Let’s show Dan that his kindness didn’t go unnoticed.
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<div>Let’s help him step into retirement feeling appreciated, supported, and celebrated.
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<div>Every little bit helps, and even if you can’t donate, sharing this story means just as much.
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Tip for Dan the Pizza Man’s Retirement

<div>Goal: Raise $6,500
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<div>→ $1,500 for hygiene kit supplies; $5,000 for ongoing <a href="https://www.echoparktrash.club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Echo Park Trash Club</a> truck needs
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<div>It’s that time of year again! Help <a href="https://www.echoparktrash.club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Echo Park Trash Club</a> (EPTC) raise funds to continue providing compassionate trash clean up services and other resources to our community.
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<div>Hygiene Kits
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<div>This fall, we’ll start distributing hygiene kits during our clean ups. This will allow us to be more responsive to neighbors who may ask for assistance!
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<div>Your donation will help us purchase supplies for our Hygiene Kit Making Party at <a href="https://www.groundfloorclub.com/los-angeles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groundfloor</a> on Sunday, November 10, 2024 from 10 am to noon. We have a goal to build 200 kits. We’ll keep a portion to distribute during our events, and we’ll donate the rest to another community organization in need of hygiene kits. If you can/can't contribute, please join us!
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<div>Here are the supplies you’ll be helping us purchase!
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<div>Shampoo, conditioner, &amp; combs
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<div>Body soap &amp; lotion
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<div>Tissues &amp; toilet paper
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<div>Deodorant &amp; wipes
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<div>Toothbrushes &amp; toothpaste
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<div>Feminine hygiene products
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<div>Major thank you to <a href="https://www.groundfloorclub.com/los-angeles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groundfloor</a>  for partnering with us to host this amazing event!
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<div>Ongoing Truck Maintenance
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<div>Thanks to our amazing supporters, we’ve been able to responsibly use community sourced funds to continuously maintain our beloved EPTC supply truck! You’ve helped pay for insurance, gas, repairs, registration, smog checks, clean up supplies, safety gear, and more.
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<div>These needs are evergreen, so we’re replenishing our truck maintenance fund once again! Any amount makes a huge difference, and we appreciate your support no matter what &lt;3
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<div>How else can I help?
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<div>Come to a clean-up event! Spread the word, donate whatever you can, and SHARE this campaign!
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<div>We announce upcoming clean up events (Sundays, 10am-noon) on Instagram and in our Newsletter. Please note we do not have a regular clean up schedule.
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<div>We want to thank and acknowledge our community partner, <a href="https://www.thunderboltla.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thunderbolt Echo Park</a> , for their continued partnership since 2020. $2 from the sale of every Echo Park Trash Can beverage is generously donated to <a href="https://www.echoparktrash.club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Echo Park Trash Club</a> . Cheers!
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<div>We also want to thank <a href="https://cd13.lacity.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Council District 13</a> , <a href="https://sanitation.lacity.gov/san/faces/home?_afrLoop=2641193783492604&amp;_afrWindowMode=0&amp;_afrWindowId=null&amp;_adf.ctrl-state=hfxw9hxjq_1#!%252540%252540%25253F_afrWindowId%25253Dnull%252526_afrLoop%25253D2641193783492604%252526_afrWindowMode%25253D0%252526_adf.ctrl-state%25253Dhfxw9hxjq_5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LA City Sanitation</a> , <a href="https://www.maurysbagels.com/?y_source=1_NDgxMjE0MzAtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU%25253D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maury’s Bagels</a> , <a href="https://cadonuts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Donuts</a> , <a href="https://woodcatcoffee.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodcat</a> , and <a href="https://masaofechopark.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MASA of Echo Park</a> .
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<div><a href="https://www.echoparktrash.club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Echo Park Trash Club website</a>
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<div>@<a href="https://www.instagram.com/echo_park_trash_club/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EchoParkTrashClub</a>  on IG
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<div><a href="https://linktr.ee/EchoParkTrashClub?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYxBnEBuWYIMvd59kyW_-3fumVIraOxs4HdoyG9NwoGuJ7faYY_5RyKDKk_aem_7RFHsZ7XBUxoJnkq-ZhJHw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Linktree</a> 
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<div>CLUB FOUNDATION
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<div>The Echo Park Trash Club was founded in 2020 by local musician Erin Fein as a grassroots organization of volunteers hailing from Echo Park, CA and beyond. We gather several Sundays a month to collect the mounting trash in our downtown Los Angeles neighborhood bordered by Silver Lake and Chinatown. The Club has inspired volunteer trash clubs in different communities to form, making us proud!
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<div>ABOUT THE CLUB
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<div>Echo Park Trash Club is a group of community volunteers whose mission is to help keep our neighborhood clean. Due to the sensitive and complicated issue of houselessness in Los Angeles, there is a large degree of trash buildup around encampments in our city.
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<div>There is also a significant degree of neighborhood debris separate from encampments.
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<div>Our mission is to step in where the city of Los Angeles currently is not and to clean our neighborhood while treating the unhoused folks living here with the respect they deserve.
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<div>Echo Park Trash Club was founded in July 2020 by Erin Fein. Today, it is a thriving group of civic-minded individuals who love the neighborhood, and it belongs to everyone who volunteers and the Echo Park community at large.
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<div>FROM OUR FIRST GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN
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<div>Los Angeles, CA -- Echo Park local musician Erin Fein got tired of passing garbage in the streets and decided to do something about it. With the help of volunteers she enlisted on social media and more than 40+ clean-up events, <a href="https://www.echoparktrash.club/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ECHO PARK TRASH CLUB</a> (EPTC) was born. The streets of LA are cleaner due to Erin's ongoing efforts! Let's help her win the fight again trash and raise much-needed funds to buy a truck (plus cover: insurance, registration, maintenance/gas) to transport clean-up materials (trash bags, shovels, trash pickers, wheelbarrows that she's been paying for out of pocket?!!) to future clean up sites. These neighborhood events happen three times per month in a predetermined area of Los Angeles. Her vehicle is getting TRASHED in her effort to aid this altruistic community beautification project.
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Maintain Echo Park Trash Club's Truck & Create Hygiene Kits

<div>This is Henry. If you know me, you know that for the past 14 years, <strong>he has been my best buddy, my adventure companion, my rock, and my heart</strong>. He has been with me through the most difficult period of my life, and I truly don't know what I would have done without him.
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<div>For the past 4 days, he was very lethargic and not his usual peppy self. I took him to the vet and was forwarded to an emergency hospital yesterday. Henry is currently in the hospital and has been diagnosed with serious heart disease. As I was typing this, I received a call from his heart doctor, and he told me that on medication, he has about 9 months to a year to live. I am devastated. I can't imagine a world without my little friend.
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<div>I am sure all of you with pets know how expensive these moments are. I have seen many GoFundMe campaigns for veterinary costs in the past and have contributed to many as well. These costs are, of course, my responsibility, but I am currently at $7,500 unexpected dollars and I believe it will be close to $10,000 by the end of next week. <strong>I like the idea of crowdsourcing these unexpected costs to assist in these moments. A donation of any amount would be greatly appreciated.</strong>
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Support Henry's Heart Care Journey

<div>Dear compassionate hearts,
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<div>My name is Angela Perry and I am representing the family and friends of our dear friend, Queen Hannon. Queen, a courageous and radiant soul, who is facing a severe medical emergency that required hospitalization during our recent trip to Bali. Her spirit has touched each of us profoundly, even for those of us who've only known her a short time so we are rallying around her to ensure she gets the medical care she needs and is able to safely retuen to the US. 
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<div>She has remained hospitalized in Bali since May 27th with an unknown release date. She must pay the bill in full before she will be allowed to leave the country. Your support is critical to bringing her safely home to continue healing surrounded by the support of her family and friends.
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<div>Please join us in this heartfelt endeavor. Every gesture matters, whether it’s a comforting word, a prayer, or a contribution. Let us be the safety net that catches Queen as she faces this storm.
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<div><strong>Queen’s Breath: A Journey of Struggle, Strength, and Unexpected Turns</strong>
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<div>Queen has struggled with chronic asthma since being diagnosed 1 year ago. Despite being medically cleared for travel, Queen began experiencing breathing complications shortly after our arrival May 24th. As a result, she incurred expenses for an emergency breathing treatment device.
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<div>Hospitalized on May 27th, Queen faced not only breathing complications but also a diagnosis of flu, bronchitis, and both e-coli and a staph infection in her lungs. The care she receives in Bali is exceptional, but the financial burden weighs heavily. Queen does not have insurance that will cover medical expenses incurred outside of the United States as well as hotel, airfare, and potential travel medical equipment once she is released.
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<div>This trip was supposed to be a spiritual awakening for Queen who along with her siblings is grieving the loss of their parents 30 days apart in 2023. With your help, we can turn this tragic situation into a moment of love and compassion that brings a smile to the face of a beautiful woman with huge dimples!
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<div><strong>The Urgent Need: Supporting Queen’s Journey to Healing and Home</strong>
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<li><strong>Medical Bills</strong>: Queen is incurring daily costs which must be paid in full before she can leave Bali
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<li><strong>Hotel Costs</strong>: Upon release, Bali officials require her to spend at least 3 days in Bali.
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<li><strong>Family Support</strong>: Queen’s family will be traveling to Bali to support her. Since the return date is uncertain, we hope to help offset some of their expenses.
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<li><strong>Medical Equipment and Airfare</strong>: Queen may need additional medical equipment for safe air travel. The return trip to the US involves 9 hours to Dubai and 14 hours to Chicago.
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<div><strong>How You Can Help bring Queen home</strong>
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<div>We believe that no one should face health challenges alone. Let’s rally together to support Queen during her medical emergency and bring her safely home to the US so she can continue her healing. Your donation, no matter how small, can make a significant impact:
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<li><strong>PRAY: </strong>Queen is a woman of God and there is power in prayer
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<li><strong>DONATE</strong>: Every dollar counts. Whether it’s the cost of a cup of coffee or more, your donation will directly alleviate the financial strain on Queen and her family
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<li><strong>SHARE</strong>: Spread the word! Share this campaign with your friends, family, and social networks. Awareness is key, and your voice matters.
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<li><strong>ENCOURAGE</strong>: Leave a heartfelt message for Queen. Your words of encouragement can lift her spirits during tough days.
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<div>Thank you in advance for any and all support. Together, we can make a difference for Queen.
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Help Bring Queen Home: A Healing Mission

<div>Hi, i’m not only Laura’s co-worker at Stories Books &amp; Cafe, but also her friend. We consider everyone on staff not just as friends, but as family. Laura Kerrigan is an integral part of our team, beloved by everyone in the community, and she needs our help.
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<div>2023 has been tragic enough, having lost multiple loved ones, and Laura is still grieving the loss of our friends, and very recently, her best companion, her dog Steve. With her giant heart and endless capacity to care and nurture, she rescued a new sweet boy, Lefty, last week.
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<div>Unfortunately just a few days ago, as she was driving with her newly rescued dog, she was in a terrible car accident. She was t-boned, her car was wrecked, and to make matters worse, the driver decided recklessly to hit-and-run. Sadly, her dog needed emergency vet care, but Lefty will be ok. Her car is most probably totaled-either way, the repair or replacement will be an immense loss which she can not afford. She lives far from work and manages many duties for our bookstore, cafe, community center. She desperately needs a vehicle to continue working.
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<div>Between lost wages, car rental, the cost of getting a new car, veterinarian bills, and medical bills for herself, Laura could use some support from her community right now to get her back on her feet, stable, and able to care for her community in all the ways we appreciate.
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<div>Kerrigan prioritizes care and support for human and animal friend alike, and always extends herself for others- let’s payback the love when she needs it most. ❤️
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<div>Laura is currently waiting on a few medical appointments as well as the status of her accident, which we will keep all posted. She needs support to be able to afford all the surmounting expenses, including, vehicle, medical and vet bills.
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<div>2023 has already hit Laura with so much loss, she’s been struggling to keep her head up and continue being there selflessly for everyone. Please join us and support Laura the way she always does for us. Every bit counts.
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<div>Thank you
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<div>Much love and gratitude,
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<div>Stories Books &amp; Cafe
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Emergency relief for Laura after car accident

<div>Hello All,
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<div>With all the joy and excitement I want to congratulate our team manager and the pillar of Team CASH, Cesar as he is going to be a Dad soon.
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<div>He is about to embark on an extraordinary adventure, and the incredible role of being a dad (definitely harder than handling team CASH). May this journey bring you endless blessings and lifelong memories.
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<div>We wish you all the best with all the sleepless nights (harder than pagerduty), but you got this!
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<div>Also, we are sorry, there are no onboarding docs available, you have to figure this out yourself.
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<div>Congratulations once again, and here's to a beautiful and fulfilling fatherhood experience!
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Wishing Cesar Best For His New Role

<div>Hi, my name is Noah, I am a 13 year old who has a 2 and a half year old dog named Waffles. Recently Waffles has been not eating drinking or really being active. So we brought him in to the hospital and it turns out he has an abscess near his jaw and eye. My parents are short for the care he needs and if he doesn’t get the care we have no choice but to put him down. Waffles is dear to all of our hearts and we would hate for him to have to leave us seeing he is only 2. Please if you can give some money. Anything helps.
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Help bring waffles home from the hospital

<div><strong>We had to vacate our previous shelter per the landlord on December 31st as they decided to sell the property we leased and felt our presence would be a hindrance to the sale of that property. PLEASE watch the video and contact the humans if you have any questions or would like to help!<br /><br />Love,<br />The Dogs &amp; Cats<br />Fulton County Humane Society<br /><br /><br />The Fulton County Humane Society in Ohio needs your help!  </strong><strong><br /><br /></strong>We have been extremely blessed that at the end of December we were suddenly and graciously donated a new property that will give us a lot more space, but we need help with additional funds to renovate this former office building to make it work for animals, such as building indoor/outdoor kennels for each dog, fencing for large outdoor play yards, outdoor catios, etc!!
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<div>ANY donation is greatly appreciated. Without renovating this building  we will be more limited on how many stray and unwanted dogs we can save in Fulton County and find them loving, forever homes. 
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<div><span style="font-size:1.0625rem;">FCHS is an independent, non profit animal shelter RELYING SOLELY on donations from our community and run 100% by volunteers who are very passionate about saving these animals! <br /></span>
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<div><span style="font-size:1.0625rem;"><br />We have taken in over 400 animals so far in 2021. We adopted out over 1,900 animals since 2017. </span>
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<div>Over 2,700 dogs and cats were spayed and neutered by our vet and Humane Ohio via our transport.<br /><br /><strong>Some of our current &amp; upcoming projects:</strong><br /><br />- Indoor/Outdoor Kennel Runs<br /><br />- Intensive Dog Training<br />  <br />- Community Outreach &amp; Education<br /><br />- More Low-cost Spay/Neuter Days<br /><br />- Foster 2 Freedom for Veterans<br /><br />- Feline Friends for Seniors<br /><br />- TNR for Stray Cats<br /><br />- Community Pet Food Bank <br /><br />- Community Stray Cat Vet Fund
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<div><br />Please help us continue our work saving the stray, injured, sick, and homeless animals of Fulton County.  <br /><br />fultonohiohumane.org<br /><br /><strong>The Fulton County Humane Society needs your help!</strong>
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Humane Society Building Fund for Rennovations

<div>my cats need more money
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money for cats

You are supporting the efforts to protect some the world’s last ancient rainforests! Thank you!<br /><br />This is a volunteer driven, grassroots, direct-action movement to protect the last remaining ancient temperate rainforests on Vancouver Island. We’re committed to keeping our eyes on as many stands of intact old growth as we can, to challenge the outdated and irresponsible forestry practices that must be immediately changed and to halt the destruction of these globally important forests.<br /><br />We’re currently supporting efforts on unceded Pacheedaht territory, holding down blockade positions on logging roads where there is active road building or that access approved and impending clearcuts.<br /><br />One camp leads into the unlogged Fairy Creek watershed, the last intact watershed in the San Juan river system, others are in surrounding areas where road building and clearcutting of ancient rainforest is quickly pushing ahead. <br /><br />We call for an immediate moratorium on ALL destruction of old growth forests now and forever and for a viable transition to an ecologically and economically responsible forest economy.   <br /><br /><br /><strong>Old-Growth forests are almost gone! </strong><br /><br />Due to decades of British Columbia government policies along with logging companies’ unwillingness to alter their practices of irresponsible clearcut logging, old-growth forests including the extreme biodiversity that they house, face near-total eradication. These forest ecosystems hold stands of trees that are 100’s of years old and they CAN NOT regenerate. <br /><br />EVERY DAY, on Vancouver Island alone, 32 soccer fields (~ 85 acres) of old-growth temperate rainforest – representing the last 1% of these rare, irreplaceable and internationally significant forests – are logged.<br /><br />In a downward spiraling climate and biodiversity crisis, which threatens the future of all life on Earth, this situation calls for widespread and immediate change. <br /><br /><strong>We are organized by 100% volunteer labor and spontaneous, community-driven mobilization</strong><br /><br />We seek mutually respectful alliances between Indigenous and non-Indigenous forest defenders to protect lands which have never been ceded or surrendered. Sovereign Nations have stewarded this land since time immemorial but much of this land has been destroyed by generations of colonial/capitalist resource exploitation and abuse.<br /><br /><strong>Your help is needed!</strong><br /><br />While camps and blockades are currently operating as enclosed units, locked down in accordance with COVID-19 protocols, these folks need support and will be welcoming tourists and visitors again when it is safe to do so.<br /><br />In addition to this GoFundMe, donations of material objects are welcomed, there is running list of needs at hand - send us a message if you feel like helping in that way. <br /><br />Every contribution helps to ensure our frontline forest defenders are looked after. Donations are directed towards a wide range of uses including outfitting camps with accommodations to stay warm and dry and with supplies to stay safe and able to communicate with the outside world, for transportation, and for various other initiatives such as promotional material.<br /><br /><strong>With your support, we have and will continue to build on:</strong><br /><br /><em>Base Camp - </em><br /><br />Maintaining a safe base camp that can act as a visitors’ centre when it is safe to travel again. Base camp operates under a strict COVID-19 safety plan and has:<br /><br />- a furnished elder’s tent, to support visits from First Nations elders (when it is safe to do so)<br />- state of the art satellite communications technology that enable activists to be safe and to information to media and supporters in real time<br /> <br /><em>Eyes on the old growth - </em><br /><br />We’re able to maintain active tabs on as many impending clearcuts and road building projects as we can manage. Using real time satellite imagery and by accessing publicly available resources we’re keeping our eyes on the old growth. We actively encourage that forestry work happen only outside of ancient forest ecosystems in areas where 2nd or 3rd growth timber can be harvested.<br /><br /><em> Additional camps - </em><br /><br />We’re able to mobilize safely and quickly in order to put an immediate halt to active destruction of old growth. <br /><br /><em>Also - </em><br /><br />We have a legal team to challenge a potential court injunction that would have forest protectors arrested. With your donations we’re actively building a legal fund that we hope to never use. If we succeed in halting these outdated practices we will pass our legal fund on to another worthy cause. <br /><br />We're also planning for the future, our goal with this fundraiser is to not only maintain monthly operations but also to ensure we can continue and expand. <br /><br /><strong>Budget:<br /><br /></strong>Your donations are being managed with a high degree of fiscal responsibility. We keep a few months of operating costs set aside in the event that they are needed and we're now putting aside 70% of all donations towards a legal defense fund, just in case it is needed.<br /><br /><strong>Chronology of Events - the 1st month (expanded chronology is in each update)</strong><br /><br /> - August 1: Discovery of Stone Pacific (subcontractor to Teal Jones) road construction cresting the ridge into the unlogged Fairy Creek watershed.<br /><br /> - August 9: Grassroots activists from across Vancouver Island meet at Lizard Lake. To prevent the cutting, bulldozing and blasting activity into Fairy Creek headwater planned for the very next day, they decide to mount an emergency logging road blockade. This is set up at the end of Reid Mainline, on a high ridge on the western side of Fairy Creek. Notice is sent to Pacheedhat First Nation Chief and Council and Elder Bill Jones of primarily settler-activist intentions to block road-building operations on their unceded territory.<br /> <br /> - August 10: Ridge Camp blockade turns away Stone Pacific road and falling crews. A call-out goes to the public to join the camp and defend against logging road construction <br /><br />into this last unlogged watershed in the San Juan River system.<br /><br />- August 17: A second blockade is established at another road access point into Fairy Creek, at River Camp, along Granite Mainline in the Renfrew Creek watershed, on the east side of Fairy Creek.<br /><br /> - August 24th: A temporary, pop-up blockade is set up on Truck Road 11. It is aimed at halting road-building and logging of old-growth forests on Edinburgh Mountain, across from Fairy Creek in the San Juan river basin.<br /><br /> - August 31: Ridge Camp blockade is moved 7kms down the road to a new blockade location. This one is aimed at halting road-construction into Fairy Creek and logging of contiguous old-growth forest adjacent to the Fairy Creek watershed.<br /><br /> - September 4-6: Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones releases an official letter of invitation to Indigenous and non-Indigenous forest defenders to unite on the Territory as his guests to defend the old-growth rainforests on his ancestral lands. A delegation of Indigenous youth and Elders from many territories visit the blockades to further advise on appropriate respect protocols for forest defenders taking action on the land. An Elder's tent is built at River Camp and structural work begins to center decolonial values.<br /><br />- See updates for more!<br /><br />Links for more information:<br /><br />Fairy Creek Info Video <br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBnhktwJIo4&amp;t=7s"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBnhktwJIo4&amp;t=7s" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBnhktwJIo4&amp;t=7s</a></a><br /><br />Scientific American Article <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/old-growth-forests-help-combat-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">about old growth and climate change</a>

Direct Action for the last Ancient Rainforests

Los Angeles, CA -- Echo Park local musician <a href="https://www.instagram.com/echo_park_trash_club/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Erin Fein</a> got tired of passing garbage in the streets and decided to do something about it. With the help of volunteers she enlisted on social media and more than 16+ clean up events, ECHO PARK TRASH CLUB (EPTC) was born.  The streets of LA are cleaner due to Erin's ongoing efforts! Let's help her win the fight again trash and raise much needed funds to buy a truck (plus cover: insurance, registration, maintenance/gas) to transport clean up materials (trash bags, shovels, trash pickers, wheelbarrows that she's been paying for out of pocket?!!) to future clean up sites.  These neighborhood events happen three times per month in a predetermined area of Los Angeles. Her own vehicle is getting TRASHED in her effort to aid this altruistic community beautification project. Due to Erin's perseverance, a city sanitation truck shows up to the Sunday, 2-hour long events. Check the links below to find out when the next event happens.<br /><br />Volunteer, spread the word, donate whatever you can and SHARE this campaign! Every bit helps. $20 will go a long way but any amount will do. Check out the story below and watch the video to learn more. If you know of a sponsor who wants to do more, please let us know. Thank you!<br /><br /><a href="http://nextdoor.com/g/0z3jexokx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NEXTDOOR</a> <br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/echo_park_trash_club" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INSTAGRAM</a> <br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17858105798457600/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPTC MISSION STATEMENT</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ABC7/posts/erin-fein-was-inspired-to-take-action-in-echo-park-using-social-media-she-began-/10158064710902452/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KABC TV Video</a> <br /><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=erin+fein+echo+park+trash+club&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS880US882&amp;oq=erin+fein+echo+park+trash+club&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j69i61.6879j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MORE NEWS CLIPS</a> <br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_1613321449881974_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_1613321449881974_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_161332146785617_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_161332146785617_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_1614544200827686_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_1614544200827686_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_1614544178262582_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_1614544178262582_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_161332166973444_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_161332166973444_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_1613321693965982_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_1613321693965982_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_1614544929717193_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_1614544929717193_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_161332177497842_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_161332177497842_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />Volunteers!<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_161332183492127_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_161332183492127_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54620900_1614545402929326_r.jpeg" alt="54620900_1614545402929326_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br />----------<br />(C) KABC-TV 2001<br /><a href="https://abc7.com/9011350/?ex_cid=TA_KABC_FB&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwAR3cQi1HlGiqHyZ8cg2u41kIRSghE3TCKT1F7enqz8NGkKNoSZ1GcWBjBj0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KABC TV Video Coverage</a> <br />ECHO PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Garbage in the streets and alleys of Silver Lake and Echo Park has been a problem for years.<br /><br />Erin Fein was inspired to take action. Using social media, she began searching for volunteers, and that's how the Echo Park Trash Club was born.<br /><br />"Before every event I always have a little anxiety, sort of wondering like 'Is anybody gonna come?' And what I tell myself is, 'Well, you've got the supplies if it's just you, you can just pick up garbage by yourself.' But that's never happened," said Fein, founder of Echo Park Trash Club.<br /><br />The group usually meets three times a month with 10 to 25 people gathering to clean up a predetermined site in the community.<br /><br />An early problem for the group was trash disposal. Picking it up is only the first step. Initially volunteers took the trash home in their cars. That's when Fein's calls to the city paid off.<br /> <br />"She's actually worked with our supervisor to get us out here, and we do the best that we can with that time that we have available," said Damon Howse, an L.A. Sanitation employee<br /><br />Now, a city sanitation truck joins the efforts, even going so far as to let volunteers help in compacting the garbage.<br /><br />Fein says, "It is a commitment but it really doesn't take that much time so I think that we can make little groups like this all over the city and at least make a dent in the problem until the city and state find some more creative solutions for how to solve it."

Echo Park Trash Club - Clean Up Equipment Fund

<br />The 1st Annual Snixxmas Charity Drive has come to an end and what a success it has been! Thank you to the almost 5k individuals who've donated an astounding $117,900! If you would still like to donate, head over to Alexandria Houses's site (<a href="https://www.alexandriahouse.org/donate"><a href="https://www.alexandriahouse.org/donate" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.alexandriahouse.org/donate</a></a>) to donate directly &amp; learn more about their incredible organization. See you next year!<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52943340_1607029966138598_r.jpeg" alt="52943340_1607029966138598_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br /><em>“The connection I feel with [Alexandria House] and the people who reside and work there has been the biggest blessing and made such a huge positive impact on myself and my son. We truly have found a home away from home through the time we spend volunteering there.”</em><br /><br /><em><strong> - Naya Rivera</strong></em><br /><br /><iframe media_type="0" media_id="BiFsPXlc0Uw" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BiFsPXlc0Uw/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe><br /><br />As the Holiday Season approaches, we can’t help but reflect on the year that’s passed. And this year what we’re thinking about most is our incredible friend Naya Rivera. <br /><br />If you were lucky enough to know Naya, you know she threw some epic parties. The best of them all was her annual Christmas party, which she dubbed Snixxmas. Snixxmas was like Naya herself… sparkling, fabulous and one hell of a good time! But it wasn’t only glitz, glamour and gay apparel. Every holiday season, Naya found ways to give back. <br /><br />Recently, Naya began working with a local non-profit in Los Angeles called Alexandria House. She not only raised and contributed funds for them, but also volunteered her time and effort to the organization.<br /><br />This has been a hard year for so many, including the women and children of Alexandria House. They have not only encountered the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, but have also suffered a major loss when one of their two residences caught fire, displacing families and damaging the property.   <br /><br />Now more than ever it’s important that we keep the Snixxmas Spirit alive. We won’t be able to throw a big, fabulous party this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give back. We will be making a donation in Naya’s name to Alexandria House. And we have started this GoFundme so that you can contribute too. Let’s make charity a cornerstone of the Snixxmas Legacy.<br /><br />Naya was larger than life, a friend to all, hilariously funny and incredibly selfless. We ask you all to join our effort to bring a little Snixxmas cheer into the lives of those in need. Donate what you can, so that we can help this wonderful organization continue to provide safety and shelter for the women and children of Los Angeles. <br /><br />If a financial donation isn’t possible for you at this time, that’s fine! Follow Naya’s lead and donate your time. Find a local charity whose mission speaks to you and aligns with your beliefs and lend a hand this season. Start a toy drive in your community! Do what you can do to make a difference.<br /><br />Then be sure to deck the halls and raise a toast to our girl, Naya. <br /><br />Thank you, and a Merry Snixxmas to all.<br /><br /><em><strong>From Naya's Family: </strong></em><br /><br /><em>We are forever grateful to Naya‘s friends and colleagues for having the desire to put such a beautiful fundraiser together. Everyone will always be remembered and loved by her entire family. Naya loved Christmas and we are pleased to know that her Christmas parties left a lasting impression on all of our lives. This fundraiser is an extension of Naya’s love for families, children, and holidays. To honor her in this manner is evidence that her love for others is endlessly alive. On behalf of Naya and her son Josey, the family would like to donate items from her Jojo &amp; Izzy clothing line. We appreciate all who continue to shine Naya’s love and light.<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52943340_1607030348831798_r.jpeg" alt="52943340_1607030348831798_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><iframe media_type="0" media_id="TtfJjCLQXrQ" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TtfJjCLQXrQ/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe><br /></em>

SNIXXMAS Charity Drive in Memory of Naya Rivera

<strong>Kevin Medlyn</strong> is one of the most hard working people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He's kind, and has never shown anger.  <br /><br />He had a stroke on the night of Monday 3/23/2020, and was rushed to the ER, where doctors found and removed all his clots. At the time of creating this campaign, he's recovering in the ICU. He's recovering well, and will soon be discharged. <br /><br />He's working on recovering fully in his speech and memories. Let's send him a lot of love, and donate to this campaign to help him in his path to recovery!<br /><br /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/46986498_1585351066202879_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" alt="46986498_1585351066202879_r.jpeg" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/46986498_158535111558689_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" alt="46986498_158535111558689_r.jpeg" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/46986498_1585351132909961_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" alt="46986498_1585351132909961_r.jpeg" />

Make a full recovery, Kevin!

<img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/41683518_1567190892105995_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" alt="41683518_1567190892105995_r.jpeg" /><strong>A couple of our dear friends need help</strong>. Big hearted Pluto came to Joe as a rescue dog 6 years ago. He raced in a small track in Texas. His race name was Gable Nino. He was one of the biggest greyhounds at the rescue and barely fit in Joe's car. Pluto took to Joe and Malibu Beach living with loving joy! Pluto was diagnosed with osteosarcoma last month and is currently receiving chemotherapy. It’s been a hard diagnoses to receive and tough decisions had to be made. Joe made the decision not to amputate Pluto’s leg, and instead he and Pluto decided to do chemotherapy which will help Pluto with pain management and keep the cancer in his leg from spreading too fast. While the treatment is not a cure—The goal is to give Pluto a pain free joyful quality of life for the rest of the time he has here. If you can help with the chemotherapy costs,  it would help Joe and Pluto have more joyful times together and ease the stress of financial hardship for Joe. We all have moments when we need a little help from our friends. Any amount no matter the size helps and is deeply appreciated. <br /><br />Pluto had his first treatment and though tired and down for a few days he is bouncing back to his joyful self. Pluto will have five more treatments over the coming weeks and months. <br /><br /><br />If you can help Joe and Pluto – please do. And please share this.

Medical treatment help for Pluto & Joe Foster

<img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/34471282_1542082195923140_r.jpeg" alt="34471282_1542082195923140_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><br />Hey DTLA friends and beyond... <br /><br />If you have lived downtown the last 10 or more years, you know Angie,  AKA Angie del Rosario.  She is a rock, our rock, the one who keeps the walls from falling around us daily. She's the constant that is DTLA.  And she supplies us with cupcakes that remind us of sex.  Angie = Super hero status. <br /><br />If you haven’t heard, Angie had a heart attack last week. She’s been in the hospital this week and is doing ok. But it’s going to be a long road. Next stop, a stint to help with the flow, then some healing time for that giant heart and then the big kahuna…  bypass surgery to fix the problem later this week. <br /><br />Angie’s spirits are great and friends and family have been visiting her in the hospital regularly but she is still going to need our help. This is one of those moments where we take care of our own. Especially the ones that remind us about life-- all the good and the bad.  Life. The slow walkers, the card players, the movie goers, the other players… and the cupcake creators (and the great kissers)! <br /><br />Please help if you can... anything and everything matters. Let’s help Angie smile, so this difficult shit is a little less difficult. All the money raised here will go directly to Angie to help with medical bills, rent and general expenses as she will not be able to work for a while. <br /><br />LOVE YOU ALL.

Helping Our Dear Friend Angie

Family and friends, asking for help is incredibly difficult, but my mom and her husband, Penny and Orrin Freeman, are in need. Your contributions will go directly to ensuring that Orrin receives the care he needs to recover from a series of spinal infections that have caused him to lose the ability to walk, and for my Mom to be able to provide for his care while she undergoes chemotherapy for Stage 3 colon cancer. <br /><br /><strong>Mom and Orrin</strong><br /><br />Mom and Orrin met while they were both students at USC in the early 1970s. Orrin was a baseball player, and Mom was a musical theater actress in the theater program. While at USC, Orrin helped the team to 4 national championships, and is currently in the USC sports program hall of fame. Mom performed in numerous productions while at USC, including the West Coast premiere of The Who’s rock opera Tommy. <br /><br />After college, Orrin became a baseball coach. He coached at UC Santa Barbara, San Francisco State, and Sonoma State, before becoming a scout for the MLB. Orrin joined the Florida Marlins as a scout at the team’s inception in 1991 and has been with the team ever since. In his 27 years as a member of the Marlin’s franchise, he has helped the team win two world series titles and, in 2014, was awarded both Scout of the Year by Major League Baseball and received a lifetime achievement award from the Major League Baseball Scouting Association.<br /><br />After college, Mom graduated from law school and earned her Masters degree in Education and School Administration. She taught elementary school for 25 years in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and also became a Vice Principal and Principal at several schools before retiring in 2007. She continued to act and sing, performing with the Riverside Master Chorale, the Redlands Footlighters, the Riverside Community Theater, and many other productions.<br /><br />30 years after dating while at USC, Mom and Orrin reconnected, and were married in 2007.<br /><br /><strong>Orrin</strong><br /><br />In January of 2018, mom found Orrin incapacitated in his armchair. A lifelong diabetic, Orrin’s blood pressure had spiked and metastasized into a bacterial infection in his spine. He was hospitalized and intubated into a medical coma. Doctor’s found that he was too ill to receive an operation that would have given him a good chance of walking again, and in the meantime his insurance kept moving him from facility to facility. He can only be transported via medical transport (ambulance), and has been moved between the hospital, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Assisted Living Facilities since January. His insurance also had him discharged from his Skilled Nursing Facility, determining that he was not making sufficient progress towards recovery due to “a possible problem with his brain”.<br /><br />Additionally, Orrin faces a difficult decision: he can undergo a full back reconstructive surgery due to the extensive damage done to his back by infection.  This is incredibly risky, but, if successful, would give him a much better change of walking again. If it fails, it would leave him in extensive pain without regaining the ability to walk. The other option is a spinal fusion procedure, which would potentially greatly reduce the amount of pain he is in, but would likely confine him to a wheelchair. <br /><br />Because of his condition, we are unsure whether or not Orrin will be able to return to work. Though he has been in Major League Baseball since 1982 and is entitled to a pension upon retirement, he must work until he is 70 to receive his full pension. He is currently 68 and a half, and may never work again, so while he is able to draw from his pension, he must do so at -48% what he would have received if he’d worked until the retirement age of 70. <br /><br /><strong>Mom</strong><br /><br />My mom, Penny Freeman, has been Orrin’s caregiver and advocate since the day he entered the hospital. She’s there nearly every day, making arrangements, ensuring he’s attended to, and arranging his transportation to and from doctor’s appointments and various facilities via ambulance. In March 2018, that all changed.<br /><br />In March 2018, Mom was hospitalized in need of a blood transfusion. Though the transfusion initially helped, a couple weeks later she was hospitalized a second time. A diagnostic revealed that she had Stage 3 Colon Cancer, and though she had surgery to remove the cancerous growth in the colon, a biopsy revealed that the cancer had spread and she would need to undergo chemotherapy. She starts chemo on June 5th, and will have to be infused every two weeks until November. While her oncologist is confident that the chemotherapy will eradicate her cancer, the chemo itself will weaken her body and seriously lower her ability to fight off sickness and infection during the 5 months of treatment.<br /><br />While doctors had initially thought they had the infection under control, a recent test revealed that Orrin has a resurgence of infection in his spine. Because chemotherapy will drastically compromise her immune system, she is not allowed to be near Orrin until the infection is under control, meaning she cannot accompany him to doctor’s appointments.<br /><br /><strong>The Need</strong><br /><br />Orrin has exhausted his skilled nursing benefit through his insurance plan, so last month they had to pay $13,000 cash for him to be cared for. Because Mom is not allowed to be near Orrin while her immune system is compromised, he has been moved to an assisted living facility at a rate of nearly $6,000 a month. Because he is not able to ambulate or walk, or even sit up without intense pain, he has to be transported to and from doctor's appointments via ambulance, and since mom cannot accompany him, they must also pay someone to accompany him to and from doctor's appointments, all of this also out of pocket. This arrangement will have to continue for the foreseeable future. They are trying to keep their heads above water, while navigating the treatment and hopeful recovery process of their respective ailments.<br /><br />It has been a year marked by personal catastrophe after personal catastrophe. With both Mom and Orrin suffering serious, life-threatening health complications in the same year, compounded by a serious change in financial circumstances, has made their plan to “weather the storm” not exactly go to plan. Life, as they knew it, has changed drastically in such a short period of time, and at the moment they are in survival mode, trying to get both of them the care they need while ensuring they have the proper environment for recovery. <br /><br />Thank you again for taking the time to read this and for your contributions.

Penny and Orrin Freeman

<div>This Thanksgiving I am fundraising to help the Sierra Madre Search &amp; Rescue team cover its operating costs.
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<div>SMSR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all volunteer organization founded in 1951 to save lives through mountain rescue and outdoor safety education.
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<div>The team is a group of dedicated volunteers committed to saving lives in the wilderness.
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<div>The team relies on donations for 100% of its operating costs.
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<div><strong>What Sierra Madre Search &amp; Rescue Team Does</strong>
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<div>Team members respond to calls for help 24/7. Search and Rescue services are provided at no cost. The team primarily operates in the steep, unforgiving terrain of the San Gabriel mountains and responds in all weathers, from extreme heat to blizzards. Much of the work - navigating steep, loose slopes; managing helicopter insertions and extractions and handling exposure - is inherently dangerous and the team manages risk through rigorous training and disciplined teamwork.
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<div>The team has responded to over 5000 calls in the wilderness and saved many lives.
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<div>The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team is affiliated with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as high-risk, civilian volunteers and accredited through the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA).
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<div><strong>Why Am I Asking for Help for SMSR</strong>
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<div>I've had the privilege of serving as a SMSR volunteer since 2010 and have seen the tremendous impact of the team's work many times. This giving season I am fundraising to support the team, which operates thanks to the generosity of regular people who support the team through their donations.
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<div><strong>How Your Donations Have Impact</strong>
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<div>Every year the team needs community support, primarily to help replenish equipment and supplies that are used in the line of duty. Funds donated to the team are used for a range of needs, typically including:
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<li><strong>Medical supplies.</strong> Team members are first responders who care for and stabilize subjects with medical problems and/or traumatic injuries to enable safe extraction from the wilderness environment to a higher level of care. Medical supplies required include bandages, dressings, Coban, splints, slings, cold packs, heat packs and medical gloves.
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<li><strong>Outerwear. </strong>While team members are required to buy most of their mandatory personal gear themselves (uniform, insulating layers, sleeping bag, winter hardware like crampons and ice axes), the team provides outer layers - e.g. hard shell jackets - for foul weather. Most SAR activity occurs off maintained trails, often thrashing through spiny, spiky chaparral and steep, rocky ground that takes a heavy toll on team clothing.
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<li><strong>Communications equipment. </strong>Mobile phones do not work reliably in the mountains and radios are essential for communications between field teams, the Command Post and air support. Radio batteries need replacing and radio antennae and radio units all take a beating. The radio units are particularly expensive: a APX digital multi-band radio costs nearly $10,000 and a rechargeable battery is $150.
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<li><strong>Technical hardware &amp; ropes.</strong> Ropes and webbing get abraded on the terrain and carabiners, pulleys, rope grabs and ascenders all get worn and occasionally lost on operations.
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<div>Thanks in advance for any support you can provide!
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<div>Even if you’re not in a position to donate, sharing this fundraiser with your network is very helpful indeed.
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<div><a href="https://smsr.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“Anywhere in the wilderness that someone needs hel</a>p."
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Help Sierra Madre Search & Rescue Team with Operating Costs

<div><strong>Big news.</strong>

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<div><strong>Andy is going to be a dad!!</strong>

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<div>Let's all pitch in to say congratulations to one of GoFundMe's OGs.

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<div>Andy, we wish you and your family all the best as you onboard your new team member. You're gonna be a great dad!

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Help Andy Welcome His New Baby

<div>Meet Nubz, a spirited and talkative cat who has already overcome significant challenges in his life. After losing his back right leg to an injury, Nubz has shown incredible resilience and continues to bring joy to everyone he meets! He loves chatting about anything at any given time (especially when he wakes up from naps), indulging in his favorite foods, and gazing out the window, dreaming of adventures.
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<div>Unfortunately, Nubz is now facing another hurdle. He has developed a large polyp in his ear that has grown beyond his ear drum, extending into his eardrum and the deeper structures of his skull, causing recurring and severe ear infections. To alleviate his pain and prevent further complications, we're hoping to raise $7,500 to cover the cost of both his CT scan and the surgery to remove the polyp.
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<div>Your support can make a world of difference for Nubz. By contributing to his surgery fund, you'll be helping him live a pain-free life and continue to enjoy his favorite activities. <strong>Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to giving Nubz the care he desperately needs.</strong>
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<div>Thank you for considering helping Nubz on his journey to recovery. Your kindness and generosity mean the world to us.
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Help Nubz the Cat Get Life-Saving Ear Surgery

<div>I’m Nicole and I’m organizing this campaign on behalf of Lauren, Jesse, Margo, and their beautiful new baby Luca Winter Rosenthal.

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<div>Luca was born in the afternoon on Friday, December 6. He was immediately taken to the NICU because he couldn’t pump his little heart on his own and he presented with potential signs of brain injury during labor. Doctors in Maine immediately intervened and he was placed on life support and put into a medically induced coma as they began a 72 hour cooling procedure called therapeutic hypothermia. After close monitoring of his heart, he was transferred to Boston’s Children’s Hospital via Life Flight so that we could receive critical care and life saving treatment.

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<div>Lauren and Jesse have been back and forth between South Portland and Boston so they can be close to little Luca while trying to maintain some normalcy for Margo. It has been a scary time and they are taking it day by day. What we know now is that doctors are working hard to figure out what’s going on and keep teeny Luca’s heart working, and that several days in, he’s making positive progress.

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<div>We don’t know how long Luca will be in the NICU or what is next. What I do know is that as Lauren, Jesse, and Margo’s community, I am grateful that we have the chance to show up for them as they have shown up for all of us. ♥️

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<div>This campaign will offer a place for Lauren and Jesse to keep us updated on how they and Luca are doing. Any funds donated will go towards gas, travel accommodations, hospital bills, and meals. But most of all, they are asking for your love and continued prayers as they navigate this challenging time. If you feel compelled to contribute, any donations would be deeply appreciated as they face the unexpected. If you are local to Maine or prefer to support them through meals, visit <a href="https://mealtrain.com/yrdq5k" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this MealTrain page</a>. 

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<div>With love and gratitude,

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<div>Nicole

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Support and Love for Lauren, Jesse, and their new Baby Luca

<div>This December, I’ll be getting back into my festive attire to take part in a Santa Run through the streets of London.
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<div>I won't just be doing one Santa Run but two - on 5th and 7th December - to ensure an appropriate festive challenge. I'll commit to the theme wholeheartedly, keeping the regalia on throughout my runs - while others rush to remove theirs for fear of being hindered by their Christmas boots, hat and beard flapping about.
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<div>Why am I taking this Christmastime challenge on? To raise money for a cause close to my heart: the UK Infantile Spasms Trust (UKIST).
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<div>UKIST is a small charity which does a lot of good, providing a network of support to families with children affected by the rare seizure disorder of infantile spasms.
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<div>About 1 in 3,000 children develop infantile spasms. It typically begins in the first year of life, and these small seizures can have big consequences. 
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<div>I’ve seen first-hand how much UKIST helps so know every donation will only ensure it can do even more.
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</div><iframe media_type="0" media_id="VU6qNLOlU_A" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VU6qNLOlU_A/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>
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<div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6qNLOlU_A&amp;t=7s" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UKIST's short guide to infantile spasms</a>
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<div>Infantile spasms can often be confused at first with better-known and more benign issues like colic, delaying the swift intervention needed to get a handle on it. Children diagnosed with IS will typically endure a barrage of tests and treatment. 
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<div>UKIST focuses on raising awareness (because early diagnosis is key), providing support to families, and advancing clinical research into this rare condition.
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<div>The charity helps families in so many ways, such as is offering grants to help them with equipment or therapies for their children affected by infantile spasms. It offers a lifeline to parents via its online community, and works alongside medical professionals to raise awareness of this little-known condition.
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<div>UKIST does so much to help families, so I'm glad to help support them and raise awareness of their work. Anything you can spare will be much appreciated and go towards a great cause.
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Santa running for a good cause

Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team

With a heavy heart, I ask for your help. My friend (brother really), Robbie Linder passed suddenly, Saturday February 10th. He leaves behind a wife Jana McAndrew and young daughter Adalyn. As you can imagine, the family is grieving right now and the last thing we want them to worry about is finances. Funeral expenses are only the beginning for this family. <br /><br />Anyone who knew Robbie knows he was an incredible friend who would be there to help anyone who needed it. Please consider helping out his family in this time of need.

Patrick Shampine