Alexandria House

CBD Gives Back worked hand鈥搃n鈥揾and with the 17c起草社区 Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.  Their goal: raise funds for their non-profit organization of choice, Alexandria House.  Each Wednesday in the month of April, OTA students took shifts in between class running a school-wide bake sale.  They stocked their cart with treats, snacks, coffee and energy drinks.  The total funds raised from the school by the end of the month totaled $500.

Program Director Mary Kay Wolfe, OTA Student Rep Jake Argyris, and the 17c起草社区 Student Affairs team visited Alexandria House May 3rd with their financial gift.  17c起草社区 began this journey thinking it a chance to learn more about the transitional residence.  They quickly determined a mutual need for a long-lasting relationship.  So far the college campus held a Back鈥搕o鈥揝chool supply drive and a successful toy drive for the children and teens of Alexandria House.  The CBD family looks forward to many more fundraising efforts.

Keep a Breast Foundation

17c起草社区 also paired with the Keep A Breast Foundation for the Month of October.  In doing so, they spread awareness for breast cancer prevention.  The Keep A Breast Foundation (KAB) is a nonprofit organization based right here in Los Angeles.  Their mission: empower young people around the world with breast health education, advocacy, and support.  They remain in many countries all around the world as well.  As per 17c起草社区&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;s partnership with KAB,  the college pledges to raise $5,000 for the non-profit organization this year.

In addition to cash and credit donations, the 17c起草社区 Student Affairs team also sells Keep A Breast Gear, including Keep A Breast T-shirts, backpacks, wristbands, and pullover fleece.   All proceeds from that merchandise go to the Keep A Breast Foundation.   For a limited time, 17c起草社区 Spirit Days allows students the option to wear the Keep A Breast gear.  Merchandise prices start at $1 and go to $20.

American Red Cross

With many natural disasters occurring so close to home,   17c起草社区 ramped up their commitment to the American Red Cross as well!  They held a separate fundraiser for Hurricane Harvey victims, donating $5,000 total.  During three separate blood drives, 17c起草社区 set a goal of 40 pints of blood collected.   During the last one this past November, not only did they meet their goal, 17c起草社区 exceeded it!  Altogether, 17c起草社区 donated 42 pints of blood!  That&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;s up to 123 lives, and nearly 400 this year!  Stay tuned for a chance to roll up your sleeves and donate!  CBD鈥檚 next 12 hour blood drive begins at 8 AM, January 18th.  Download the app and say you鈥檒l be there!

Overall, 17c起草社区 thrives on community, and the greatest way of showing thanks is by giving back.  They look forward to their continued partnership and participation with reputable and ingenious non-profits.  As for the students and staff, they can鈥檛 wait to see what 2018 holds for 17c起草社区.

The post CBD Gives Back 2017: A Year in Review appeared first on 17c起草社区.

1. How did you become involved with Keep a Breast? How has it grown or changed over time?

I founded Keep A Breast 17 years ago after a friend, who was her 20鈥檚, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since our inception, Keep A Breast has made connections with younger generations about breast health through music, art, skate, and surf culture. We meet young people where they are and we empower them with the education to help them be their own, best advocates.

In many ways, we鈥檙e still the same. Keep A Breast exists because we are called by our community to show up and do what we do. We still work with many of the same friends and supporters that we always have. These days, we have grown so much and I could not be more excited for the future. We have affiliate locations in Europe, Canada, Japan, Chile and Mexico. Now technology plays a huge role in getting our message out there and through our Check Yourself! App we have reached young people in over 100 countries.

2. What differentiates you from other breast cancer awareness organizations?

When I started Keep A Breast I realized that no one was truly reaching young people with breast cancer education and support. Existing organizations were not operating at the cultural level of teens and twenty-somethings. In response, I developed a series of educational programs that attempted to reach youth 鈥渋n their comfort zones.鈥� This was the basis of Keep A Breast鈥檚 interactive teaching efforts such as our Travelling Education Booth and Check Yourself! breast self-check cards. With this, KAB was born. KAB demonstrates a new non-profit model, one that assumes that today鈥檚 young people are articulate, critical, and ready to establish their identities through meaningful action. They are ready to be engaged and educated and we are so honored to be the ones to spread awareness to them.

3. What is the hardest decision the organization has had to make recently?

I don鈥檛 personally subscribe to this idea of hard decisions in business. I just don鈥檛 see it that way. As a non-profit organization, we exist to fulfill our mission. Daily decisions make sure we evolve as we go, and maintain transparency with our donors. Change is exciting and good, and a 鈥渉ard鈥� decision usually opens a new door or opportunity that was not there before.

4. What do you, personally, spend most of your time on?

I spend most of my time being awesome and taking care of myself! HA! I wish! In truth, I have to challenge myself to take care of myself daily and walk the talk. I have to do yoga, be mindful and eat well to set a good example for my staff and our audience. I oversee our team globally and help support everyone with their program outreach and goals. Personally, I work on all our partnerships and collaborations daily; from the details of what they will be, to their goals, to the strategy and messaging.

5. I noticed KAB runs three different programs: Check Yourself!, Treasured chest, and Non Toxic Revolution.  Can you touch briefly on what each of those entails and how they accomplish the KAB mission?

Check Yourself!

The Check Yourself! program aims to encourage young people to perform a monthly self-check. With 40% of diagnosed breast cancer being self-detected, establishing what is 鈥渘ormal鈥� is an important step to knowing your body and knowing when something is wrong. Keep A Breast has always encouraged young people to not only love their boobies, but to know their bodies and be aware of any changes. Knowledge is power. Engaging young people early on, in their environment, is key in helping them develop healthy habits. We deliver this program in three unique ways, through printed education materials, our free digital app, and art exhibitions.

Treasured Chest

The Keep A Breast Treasured Chest Program (TCP) is KAB鈥檚 signature artistic support program for breast cancer survivors. TCP provides any woman diagnosed with breast cancer an opportunity to document her body and feelings by turning her casted torso into a beautiful work of art. These unique pieces, The Keep A Breast Foundation Breast Casts鈩�, are one-of-a-kind plaster forms that combine sculpture, charity, and artistry. They communicate complex emotions about breast health and the female form, allowing the castee to capture a specific point in her breast cancer journey. The free TCP kit contains all the materials needed, including an instructional video, to make a treasured chest.

Non Toxic Revolution

Non Toxic Revolution (NTR) informs, educates, and inspires young people about the dangers of toxic chemicals in their environment and food supply鈥攅specially those linked to the initiation of breast cancer. The NTR program is both an informational resource and a call to action, backed by its own website, .

NTR uses art, music, and creative messaging to inform, educate, and inspire young people to revolt against the dangers of toxic chemicals in their everyday environment and personal care products. Moreover, NTR also teaches young people to become their own health advocates, both personally and through activism.

6. How are you really collaborating with other organizations on a local, regional, or national level? What are some examples? How would you like to enhance these efforts?

It鈥檚 hard to reallllyyyy collaborate with other organizations because of funding. Funding is scarce for all of us which forces us to focus on our own missions. We work with and are friends with many organizations that you should all check out and support.

• When survivors come to us looking for information at the time of diagnosis and after, we refer them to our friends at Young Survival Coalition and Stupid Cancer who support survivors nationally.
• We partner with Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. They help us with the science behind our campaigns and we help them spread the word about their actions.
• We partner with The Environmental Working Group. They also help us with the science behind our campaigns.  We help them create teen versions of their campaigns like the Teen Sunscreen Guide.
• We are a part of the Plastic Pollution Coalition. We share resources with the other coalition members and collaborate on campaigns regarding single-use plastics.

We would love to increase our efforts to collaborate with other organizations in an advocacy capacity. In our current political state, we believe in the importance of young people&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;s involvement in shaping their future.  Avocacy remains a crucial step in that. Helping other organizations further their efforts to pass legislation that improves women鈥檚 health or regulates toxic ingredients is the perfect enhancement of our education, and ultimately our mission.

7. To what degree have you attracted NEW people and new ideas to KAB?

We hope your readers will be inspired and join us as volunteers, interns, bringing new ideas to the organization. We use art to educate and inspire.  We are always looking to connect with a new audience, whether it be race car fans, country music fans, or students. We work with all types of influencers from athletes to celebrities to help us get the word out in an authentic way. We have a fundraising activation called DIY Action, where anyone can throw a fundraiser for Keep A Breast. This has been a great way for KAB to be introduced to all kinds of new audiences in places all over the world. From the craft beer community to the yoga community to even chili enthusiasts.

8. How do you use your funds to help people? What does community impact look like to you?

The funds we receive fund our programs; Check Yourself, Treasured Chest, and Non Toxic Revolution. Based on those programs, community impact can show itself in many forms.

It could be a survivor casting her breasts before she has a double mastectomy, expressing all those complex emotions by preserving her form and making it into a work of art, helping her through the changes to come. It could look like a kid on Vans Warped Tour visiting our booth, downloading our app, and telling their friends and family about it. Then a year later, messaging us that their sister found a lump, but caught it early because of our app, and now she鈥檚 going to just fine. It could be someone taking our Deodorant Challenge, breaking away from a toxic deodorant, and taking that first step to becoming their own health advocate. Ultimately, community impact looks like empowerment to us.  By giving people the knowledge to make choices and adopt healthy habits, they can positively change their lives.

9. How can 17c起草社区 get involved and volunteer? How do you support your volunteers?

We look for volunteers and interns all year long for may of our events. You can check out volunteer opportunities on our website or follow us on our social media where we post opportunities. All our volunteers go through onboarding so we get familiar with each other. Our volunteers and interns all become part of the Keep A Breast family for years to come.  We even hire some volunteers and interns.

10. How do you express appreciation? How do you thank people?

We live in gratitude daily and are always expressing our gratitude.  We are blessed to have the opportunity to fulfill our mission. We send thank you emails and cards to our donors. We have appreciation lunches for our volunteers and interns. We couldn鈥檛 do what we do without the help of many people, and we make sure they know that.

As future healthcare professionals, the Keep a Breast organization brings so much excitement to the .  Be sure you visit  and discover more ways you can get involved, donate, and advocate for breast health.

The post Keep a Breast: Shaney Jo Darden appeared first on 17c起草社区.

CBD Gives Back to Fight Hunger and Give Hope!

17c起草社区 hosted its first ever Thanksgiving Food Drive in support of the . 聽They accepted all donations from the beginning of November to just before Turkey Day.听 The entire school participated in touching the lives of lower-income families. 聽Of course, the bins were filled to the brim. 聽The lobby overflowed with their canned goods and non-perishables. 聽The Food Drive Final Count signals CBD&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;s annual partnership with the LA Food Bank

Another Reason CBD is So Proud of Its School

Donation bins were stationed in the Student Lounge, Lobby, and the Career Services for students, faculty, and staff to place their non-perishable food bank items.听 Contributors thought outside the box when searching their pantries, shelves, and grocery stores. 聽The college saw a range of items from canned beans and fruit, to tuna, chow mien, taco shells, and even baby food.听 Student Affairs cataloged the nearly month long event across all social media platforms. 聽Check out the well doers in action and follow us on !听

The Food Drive Final Count!

The food drive served as a keen reminder that even during these turbulent times, giving with a gracious heart is the most important part of the season. 聽Ultimately, the vision of the LA Food Bank is to end hunger for every person in Los Angeles County, providing healthy alternatives for those with limited financial resources. 聽CBD set a hefty, 300 pound goal for its first round, but the food drive final count came to聽587 pounds.听 This accomplishment is 聽therefore a testament to聽the students&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217; giving spirit. 聽The school can&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;t wait to beat its record next year!

Partnering with the LA Food Bank

All donations were directly donated to the Food Bank, serving its 600 partnering agencies throughout Los Angeles County. 聽CBD&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;s donations help feed over 320,000 people a month and more than 400,000 children a year! 聽Click to find more ways to get involved with the Food Bank.听

How is CBD Giving Back?

The college plans to continue its community service outreach with a new project each month as part of the CBD Gives Back program.听 E-mail comments and suggestions to continue the program at studentaffairs@cbd.edu.听 Additionally, you send your own photos and videos for CBD Gives Back to pic@cbd.edu, and be sure to tag your photos on social media with /blog/category/community-outreach/feed/CBDGivesBack

To learn more about 17c起草社区 or to schedule an appointment, call 213-472-2200 or fill out the form at聽right!

The post CBD Gives Back: Food Drive Final Count appeared first on 17c起草社区.

17c起草社区 is proud to be partnering with the LA Food Bank聽this month聽for CBD Gives Back,聽providing healthy foods for those with limited resources in the college鈥檚 1^st Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Notable Feats of the LA Food Bank

The LA Food Bank&/blog/category/community-outreach/feed/8217;s vision is that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles county, and their mission- 鈥渕obilize resources to fight hunger in our community鈥�-is fulfilled by educating the public and through community support. Here is a little more information about what they do and how they do it:

• The 43- year old LA Regional Food Bank serves over one million individuals in the area, which includes 400,000 children a year
• Additionally, they鈥檝e partnered with more than 600 agencies to feed more than 320,000 individuals each month
• As a result, the LA Food Bank Distributed over 52 million meals last year

CBD Gives Back

The college is expecting an overwhelming amount of goodwill to help benefit the Food Bank during this season of giving. 聽Incidentally, CBD Gives Back has a goal to collect a total of 400 pounds of food. 聽Furthermore, all food donated will be distributed directly to charitable agency sites throughout the county of Los Angeles. 聽We can do it!

From November 1^st-22^nd,聽 Food Bank鈥� labeled bins will be stationed in the Student Lounge, Lobby, and the Student Center/ Career Services for students, faculty, and staff to place their non-perishable donations.听 Such items include canned vegetables and fruit, shelf-stable lean meats, oatmeal and crackers, and even low fat shelf-stable dairy products.听 Monetary donation forms will also be available for anyone who wishes to participate. 聽 Ultimately, the idea is to provide healthy alternatives for those with limited financial resources to obtain the nutrients all our bodies need.听 This opportunity will certainly be a course for giving thanks.

To find more information about the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, click . 聽You can also聽find more ways to to get involved聽with the Food Bank by clicking聽. 聽Be sure to post your photos on Social Media with /blog/category/community-outreach/feed/CBDGivesBack or send them to pics@cbd.edu to see yourself on our and .

To learn more about 17c起草社区 or to schedule an appointment, call 213-472-2200 or fill out the form at聽right!

The post CBD Gives Back: LA Food Bank appeared first on 17c起草社区.