In the Spirit of Giving

In the midst of this holiday season, with the spirit of giving in the air, I wanted to share with you some incredible people and organizations who are contributing in amazing ways to their communities.  These are people and organizations who have truly warmed my heart over the past year.  I want to share their stories with you today because they serve as an inspiration to me.  If you are also touched by what they are doing, then I encourage you to visit their websites below to learn more.

Willka T’ika Children’s Fund
Carol Cumes is the lovely lady behind the Willka T’ika Children’s Fund, providing educational resources to the Quechua children living in the isolated mountain villages of Peru.  I had the pleasure to meet this amazing woman and visit one of her schools on my recent trip to Peru this past May.  The sweet children there had organized a special program for us, including a song in Quechua and in Spanish.  They also took us on a tour of their Cuyeria, where they learn how to raise guinea pigs, as well as of their greenhouse.  These children literally walk two hours one-way to attend school daily, wearing only rubber sandals for shoes.  Donations to the Children’s Fund provide these children with school desks and supplies, daily lunches, emergency medical services, and more. 
http://www.willkatika.com/willka-tika-childrens-fund-1

The Roots of Music
This organization is founded by one of my absolute favorite bands – Rebirth Brass Band!  You may remember them from my August 2014 Blog.  I love their music, and I love them even more for this fantastic organization that they created!  The Roots of Music provides after-school tutoring and music education to the youth of New Orleans.  This program offers children a safe space, emphasizes education, and promotes music as a positive force in their lives.  Here’s a video with more about what they do; it absolutely touches my heart and makes me want to fly down there and meet these amazing and talented kids!
http://therootsofmusic.org/

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Meditation Museum
This local organization is based out of Silver Spring, Maryland, where they have created a museum for meditation!  What a novel concept!  They provide the communities of Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia with a multitude of workshops and programs on meditation and practical tools for daily living.  Sister Jenna, the founding director of the Museum, is a beautiful soul who embodies peace.  In addition to being the director of the Museum, she also hosts the America Meditating Radio Show, which can be heard at anytime day or night by downloading the Pause for Peace app.  And, my favorite event is their Karma Kafe Conversations, where they take spirituality into local coffee-shops and community gathering spaces with the simple goal of raising awareness through dialogue.    
http://www.meditationmuseum.org/

Cruelty-Free Kitchen
I love this!  My dear friend, C.Mae Jones, is the brainchild of this fantastic up and coming organization!  Cruelty-Free Kitchen is a pop-up vegan café in Hampton Roads, Virginia.  C.Mae is a compassionate individual and an amazing vegan cook.  She holds monthly pop-up vegan meals in local homes or community spaces with the intention of increasing awareness that compassionate eating is not only possible, but also delicious, creative, and fun!  All of her meals are donation-based, with the donations going toward a different animal rights organization each month.  
http://www.crueltyfreekitchen.com/

I always love to hear about amazing people, doing inspirational things by following their passion and creating some pretty awesome karma in the world!  These were just a few of those people and organizations that touched my heart over this past year.  Do you have any similar stories that you wish to share?  If so, I would love to hear from you!  Feel free to leave your story in the comments section or send me a message.

Peace and love through this holiday season and beyond!