tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78247038543435101832024-02-06T23:42:55.785-08:00Anni Bricca for BreastHealthOnlineAnnihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-7861999763115827632016-07-01T19:10:00.000-07:002017-07-16T13:34:47.572-07:00<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Habitat for Families: Think Inside the Box</b></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Louisville, KY, which is actually the beautiful, thriving and well heeled 16th largest city in America, sadly has over 11,000 homeless school children that live in the streets, parks and cars in blistering summer heat and freezing winter ice and snow. Worse, we're not the only community with this problem. There are over a million homeless children in America. </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No child should live like this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My sixteen year old daughter Natalie and I have been discussing this issue for a few years now. Not much has changed, except a few years ago the figure was 9000. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These are real kids, not just a digit in that 11,000 figure. Some arrive at school dirty, disheveled, and depressed. The saddest are the little kids who stare blankly at the school bus floor and don't interact with anyone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Closer to home, some of my daughter's friends are homeless. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She recently asked me if there really were no smart adults who could solve this problem. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe it takes a fed up teenager to snap us to attention. I don't know, but I'm the adult willing to step up to the plate. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've gone to bed every night for a few years now thinking about these kids sleeping in cars and in parks, and I feel ashamed to be crawling into a clean feather laden bed. As a society we <i>should</i> be ashamed. </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All I could think to do was bring them all to my house. That's not a solution, but at least I recognized the problem and wanted to take an action.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Few of us are immune to homelessness. It’s a fear we live with pretty regularly even at our own house. As a society, we can do better. We need to take better care of each other. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THE GOAL:</b> So together we started looking at actually solving the problem. The goal became to develop a different kind of community where homeless children and their parents can immediately stop being homeless, <i>and stop being labeled as homeless</i>. A place where they can get off the streets and out of scary open cot filled shelters. A place not just for shelter, but for families to </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">gain a real foothold. A place where they can overcome the hurdles they are facing and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">acquire the skills they need to succeed in school, work <i>and in a community.</i> All things critical to getting a leg back into society. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THE INSPIRATION:</b> The idea came from two sources: Our love of tiny houses and a trip to Costco where a tiny playhouse set on one of the warehouses aisles provided the catalyst. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While tiny houses seem like the perfect solution for homeless people, they aren't easily built in communities due to a dizzying array of roadblocks: appropriate building lots, zoning restrictions, building codes, permit costs & prohibitive utility set up and connect fees. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One family we know, who is actually living in a dwelling but without water, was told they'd need to pay $10,000 upfront to have just the water pipe installed from the street to the house by the city after THEY dug the ditch. Absolutely insurmountable bureaucratic excess at its finest. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With nowhere to feasibly put tiny houses, particularly in any meaningful quantity, we needed a better plan. We actually needed to think INSIDE THE BOX, and this is where Costco came in. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THE PLAN:</b> To combine a large, clean, well lit warehouse (think Costco style) with a form of tiny houses arranged inside that would give each family a safe, private and secure place to sleep, read, laugh, do homework and bathe. Set up as a small working community for families with school children, the focus is on families, their children's education and their parents advancement back into society. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THE HOUSING:</b> The non-smoking community (<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mhpdsbdiv7xn0r/HabitatforFamilies.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><span class="s2">see PDF</span></a>) is comprised of 2 sizes of <a href="https://www.willscot.com/portable-office/panelized-stackable-offices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="s2">steel framed modular dwellings</span></a>, including handicapped accessible units, which provide a strong, secure sleeping space for 3 to 6 family members, a bathroom, storage for clothing & necessities, a desk, a chair and lighting. The temperature controlled warehouse means no need for individual A/C or heaters in each unit. Smoke alarms and sprinklers would be installed in the houses and in the warehouse.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YZTb_6aCvIbYVdasrCOXC_JTB1U6tlKCmEbqrb_d-kgdaEgDRf3BAapthM9xYUb0A0Ud6RFfwY6eMQvgwAySsVzgfsXNHKFimaZWtzoyBLRNLPOJjVA9SpuV0cjCupvTfRcZPRfynyQ/s1600/modularsteel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YZTb_6aCvIbYVdasrCOXC_JTB1U6tlKCmEbqrb_d-kgdaEgDRf3BAapthM9xYUb0A0Ud6RFfwY6eMQvgwAySsVzgfsXNHKFimaZWtzoyBLRNLPOJjVA9SpuV0cjCupvTfRcZPRfynyQ/s400/modularsteel.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="s1">credit: </span><span class="s2">Moduflex™ </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The plan houses 240 families as drawn; a maximum capacity of 1152 total people. However, families aren't always 3 people or 6 people - they could be a family of 2 or 4, so that number would most likely always be a bit less. It also might make sense to intersperse a few </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">grandmother or grandfather </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">single person units on each street and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">designate them as </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">full-time </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">respected </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">community mentors. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> If we could stack the steel containers, it would house twice as many families. There would have to be space planned for exterior steel staircases, appropriate emergency exits. Larger community service areas, such as dining, laundry, study areas and so forth, would be needed to meet the needs of more residents.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOwLRmgomh4V9ErvJHe6bxQsALyHSLodxCCbZwc1f6IUpsSgiyaXepqGhmHLviaW4JWjcFJg6wB7t2aAgex1U2LU2UoAVrd4EbXx_EfIgui2n-8xOShj9NWhxZZgwyxbbgzvJZcFk6j4/s1600/modularsteel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOwLRmgomh4V9ErvJHe6bxQsALyHSLodxCCbZwc1f6IUpsSgiyaXepqGhmHLviaW4JWjcFJg6wB7t2aAgex1U2LU2UoAVrd4EbXx_EfIgui2n-8xOShj9NWhxZZgwyxbbgzvJZcFk6j4/s400/modularsteel2.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Moduflex™ </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>UTILITIES: </b><a href="http://www.armal.biz/products/wave-shower" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="s3">Individual porta-potties and porta-showers</span></a> (including handicapped accessible units) are plugged into the back of each small dwelling. These are maintained from the closed service-only back streets (marked in blue on the plan) for easy maintenance. This also makes it possible to swap out aging or broken equipment quickly and easily. Fresh water supplies can be run overhead and down to the homes. Hot water can be provided by on-demand water heaters. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftArguTYA_qmXavQzVdbm9HC_krzNLZus3zgWntpFXlOLWkNA8fTQkycueYBRM8jzXlYTpUmGsxgRVvTWzOH7UPGd7Vk5fkHK6Xq1QDtOxAhQxz5fQWa5X1ax2N_iR4xMAYBPtldKOKk/s1600/portashower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftArguTYA_qmXavQzVdbm9HC_krzNLZus3zgWntpFXlOLWkNA8fTQkycueYBRM8jzXlYTpUmGsxgRVvTWzOH7UPGd7Vk5fkHK6Xq1QDtOxAhQxz5fQWa5X1ax2N_iR4xMAYBPtldKOKk/s400/portashower.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Photo credit: </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Armal</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>ENERGY USE:</b> If the community were housed in a zero-net energy warehouse with geothermal heating and cooling, as well as the possibility of solar, the facility could energize itself as well as potentially produce more energy than it used. This could be sold or traded back to the city, further supporting the micro-community. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>STUDENT SUPPORT: </b>The community incorporates a Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) library, computer lab, study halls and a music practice room. Additionally, there could be E-School on site for those students needing to catch up. Bicycles are available to ride up and down the indoor 'streets', as well as outdoor recreation areas not yet shown in the drawing. There would be a designated bus loading hub and students would leave from here each morning via their school buses to attend their regular JCPS school. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>PARENT SUPPORT:</b> There are already so many programs available to support parents in going back to school themselves, finding jobs, learning new skills and overcoming bad habits. Healthy parenting programs and programs to address the issues that create homelessness to begin with are also needed, and all would be plugged into the center. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>FOOD:</b> A main kitchen keeps food prep (a fire and vector hazard...) out of the dwellings and places it in a controlled community dining facility. Teaching families about cooking and healthy food choices is an important part of community education. Addressing long term health is important as it presents a future drain on society. This is the perfect opportunity to help families understand healthy food choices, learn to make new foods and put it all together along with meal planning and budgeting. A large community garden with lots of fresh foods provide further education on multiple levels. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MULTI-MEDIA:</b> One or two large gathering rooms for news, movies, events and activities. Getting back into society means catching up on the world around you as well as partaking in some of the more enjoyable parts of life. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>FEATURES: </b>Cool new types of artificial grass from companies such as <a href="http://www.synlawn.com/"><span class="s3">Synlawn</span></a> creates realistic, soft lawns that kids can sit and play on and around the front of the dwellings. Pictured below is how nice it looks. Being </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">maintenance free</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> means </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it would make the community look fabulous. We we're trying to get a sample of this stuff but it's proving difficult. </span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Synlawn</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A <a href="http://terrecon.com/" target="_blank">rubber (recycled!) sidewalk</a> provides walking paths, keeping pedestrians off the 'streets' where kids can ride bikes and electric service cars can travel. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> <span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: Terrecon</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Indoor basketball and volleyball courts are possible, as well as outside sports fields, grassy park areas and the community garden to supplement the kitchen. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Overall warehouse lighting keeps the space lit and safe, but the lighting can be controlled in sectors and in colors and shades with <a href="http://www.meethue.com/en-US?int_origin=3_CP_light_slot1_us_en_meethue" target="_blank">Hue lighting</a>. It can be </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">changed for sunrise effects</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and dimmed at bed times. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hue lighting can also be used in study and other work areas for better concentration. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRrsyTahAEM5yK81v-QlPYquIGQsEFgo_iJPYEzC1ItiICz6cbiMcpiYFT_nhw9Kd_A_7aez3mU9dGO5uuVD-2UWRzj12F4MX3Ya_ZRmMAH2lwspd5U5v8fN0WxEeFIhP6CImt6pByYA/s1600/hue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRrsyTahAEM5yK81v-QlPYquIGQsEFgo_iJPYEzC1ItiICz6cbiMcpiYFT_nhw9Kd_A_7aez3mU9dGO5uuVD-2UWRzj12F4MX3Ya_ZRmMAH2lwspd5U5v8fN0WxEeFIhP6CImt6pByYA/s400/hue.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">High transom windows and </span><a href="http://www.freelitetx.net/commercial-skylights.php" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s3">skylights </span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in the warehouse further provide for the visual effect of real night and day, with traditional street lights at 'lights out'. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uqZaKfXmcjz49U3SPnz8hoPFY7KIbFdAG_VQv1ZWDRNH7VP1yPhPSQ-0ejwPWS22c2iDlbXOtHOTvEOjuYbUv-PxZpPFjWrrWxkfe2t1f84GMfcXjFGg-lVOJUIPYKlB8J0F6_QUm7M/s1600/commercial-skylight-9l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uqZaKfXmcjz49U3SPnz8hoPFY7KIbFdAG_VQv1ZWDRNH7VP1yPhPSQ-0ejwPWS22c2iDlbXOtHOTvEOjuYbUv-PxZpPFjWrrWxkfe2t1f84GMfcXjFGg-lVOJUIPYKlB8J0F6_QUm7M/s400/commercial-skylight-9l.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="s1"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Photo credit: </span></span><span class="s2"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">FreeLite</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>LOGISTICS, TRANSPORTATION & SAFETY: </b>Golf cart sized electric vehicles provide the various transportation needed to run, service, </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">transport people, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and maintain the community, including internal medic and fire safety services. Fork lifts provide the moving power for everything from arranging housing units to moving supplies. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj7J-TJ0YsBs5wV2juxhtdpOfLkYRJyKgPILPmeRaryOngTqN0jaJx0GbDxVHXZMw0Nz3SuJDTqHHKncU65uL3HCrsEFA93KQDNaOOXhubhGD8OsPAIs_DSjzTUYcTrCVaueAlrauFUg/s1600/cushmancars.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj7J-TJ0YsBs5wV2juxhtdpOfLkYRJyKgPILPmeRaryOngTqN0jaJx0GbDxVHXZMw0Nz3SuJDTqHHKncU65uL3HCrsEFA93KQDNaOOXhubhGD8OsPAIs_DSjzTUYcTrCVaueAlrauFUg/s400/cushmancars.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Credit: </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Cushman</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>NEW IN TOWN?</b>: The reception and intake areas provide the space to assess new residents needs, process them and assign them into the community. For security, sanitation and public health for the entire community, each family gets themselves, their health and their belongings sorted out and cleaned up before heading to their little house and their new lives. Stop smoking help via the clinic and fresh haircuts, too. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cat and dog kennels and runs are in the facility so that families don't have to surrender their family pet to a kill shelter while they work toward returning to traditional housing in the future. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>EVERYONE WORKS:</b> The community provides plenty of work for its residents, besides actively seeking work outside the community, and all residents are assigned jobs and tasks within the community. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is kitchen, dishwashing and dining room work, laundry room work, supply stocking, security, keeping the community clean, trash collection, gardening, yard work, kennel cleaning, library, music hall and study hall monitors, building maintenance, and more - and all of these equate to job skills that can be transferred into jobs in the real community. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An onsite mail center sorts out incoming mail to residents. Residents now have a real address which they can use when applying for jobs outside of the habitat - working towards self sufficiency and finally moving their family out into the real community.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>WHAT ELSE DOES IT DO? </b>It brings jobs to our city. Construction, steel, cement, electrical, landscaping, building services, maintenance services, technology, hard goods, soft goods, appliances, food and more - and key staff to manage and run the facility. The facility's resident work force also has the ability to produce a product, perform a service or otherwise further contribute to its own support. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>WHAT’S IN A NAME?</b> We named it: <b>HABITAT FOR FAMILIES. </b>I ♥ it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THE COSTS:</b> Each homeless individual costs the public upwards of $3000 a month, and this doesn't include the life-long effects and costs on children forced to live under such circumstances. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClLbGzm6d_Bk1Jrpj8rhGrs9sSKual5VzKr-Z1FaPlnr5dm6G32rwSBIjTwTmj0M5yXrcmnGN4_rxDOET8J5cNlo4I95J_swIJTdQP7C8bnUBuZBkFhsSUEI0n1cCJZNnCmTs7ZYcQS0/s1600/Where_We_Sleep_chart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClLbGzm6d_Bk1Jrpj8rhGrs9sSKual5VzKr-Z1FaPlnr5dm6G32rwSBIjTwTmj0M5yXrcmnGN4_rxDOET8J5cNlo4I95J_swIJTdQP7C8bnUBuZBkFhsSUEI0n1cCJZNnCmTs7ZYcQS0/s400/Where_We_Sleep_chart.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.economicrt.org/summaries/Where_We_Sleep.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Graph and info via Where We Sleep </span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Public costs go down when individuals are no longer homeless. Stopping homelessness, not just through housing, but through better family education and support for our youths and their parents can only further reduce the short and long term societal costs. Plus it's just the right thing to do. God help us should we turn a blind eye to a child sleeping in the streets. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the cost for the entire project will need to be determined, initial building costs spread over the number of people served over time should make it an attractive option. Factoring in the social education opportunity, the ability to generate energy and making use of the resident workforce, can make this a very smart, cost effective option. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Any roof can provide shelter. Give a family a community and you teach them how to live. </i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>GETTING IT GOING:</b> We need an architect to determine the occupancy thresholds, </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">implement all the proper building and safety codes, and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">flesh out the floor plan. We need mentoring on multiple levels. We need experts to help us gain state and federal funding, including what HUD and other agencies can bring to the table for development as well as on an ongoing basis. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We need to create either a real or virtual 3D scale model of a home, and of at least a portion of the community to show to various councils, trusts and sponsors here in Louisville and beyond. Later we'll do fund raising and crowd funding to bring things the community needs. Everything from can you donate a lightbulb to can an individual or corporation sponsor a housing unit? This is the part where as individuals we make a conscious decision to improve our communities by taking better care of each other.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>ABOUT THE DRAWING: </b>I have an interior design (UCLA) and construction background, so I drew the rough example plans. In the <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mhpdsbdiv7xn0r/HabitatforFamilies.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><span class="s3">PDF </span></a>you can zoom in and scroll down and see the housing detail and other aspects. The dining and multi-purpose rooms are not correctly sized or placed. Those have to be determined by how they will be used and how many will use them at a time. The houses are drawn to scale and to code, however, there is some code I can't find or I don't know. There may need to be more corridors to emergency exits between the houses, as exits placed at either end of the streets may not provide the correct fire and safety configuration. It's fixable. This is just a sample plan. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/90554338/HabitatforFamilies.pdf" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRK3G2NyuD9iO74DAWifY8n341nHDl2ckPfPhhDEULjeMht3HlwstbBz_IHBuACPYaYZAtTh-gHypiGOD_Tferu5lmQ6yZS2UtINw25wRkVuNrQKdvEV-zt9twMEv_kYMkluOPKbs6sE/s400/HabitatforFamiliesHousing.png" title="" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mhpdsbdiv7xn0r/HabitatforFamilies.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">See sample plan here</a></td></tr>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> There may need to be an egress window on each house if the 3' front door that swings out alone doesn't meet egress code. I can't find info on that since there aren't <strike>many</strike> any communities built inside warehouses to compare it with.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Square footage per person may also come into play. Dorms are as close as I can get, but it's still not the same. So, in that case, dwellings may need to be resized, grouped in twos with windows on either side, and space given between the houses. That takes up more space, but if that's the code, we'll have to allot for it. All to be determined later. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm really proud of all the work, planning and thinking Natalie has done on this project to help put it into action. Both of us saw ourselves riding bicycles up and down the streets, jumping on the bunk beds (shh!) and giggling on the fake grass. Life is good at Habitat for Families :) </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B7ArDk_izDteNsjUuqORqSVcJgUZMLqNOqpKv7Y3IzvgynlO6dR1kb6pb21xn_Obs3QgdYXhmF9gWV2mFVgko4HuLCH_UWxh75D2agOApoc99s2u91BZPUPIGfouMONiyOKXSzVceX4/s1600/grass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B7ArDk_izDteNsjUuqORqSVcJgUZMLqNOqpKv7Y3IzvgynlO6dR1kb6pb21xn_Obs3QgdYXhmF9gWV2mFVgko4HuLCH_UWxh75D2agOApoc99s2u91BZPUPIGfouMONiyOKXSzVceX4/s400/grass.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Credit: </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Anni Bricca</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">LINK TO THE FLOOR PLAN DRAWING:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s5"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mhpdsbdiv7xn0r/HabitatforFamilies.pdf?dl=0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mhpdsbdiv7xn0r/HabitatforFamilies.pdf?dl=0</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The larger tiny house floor plan: 3' entry door with a 2' window on the right at the end of the 6' writing desk/counter space. Six linear feet of storage cabinets are above the desk. Six linear feet of floor to ceiling cabinet storage is adjacent to the desk. Twin sized bunks for four family members and pull out floor trundle for two more. Plug in wash/toilet facilities, a sink and room to dress.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqN7PosmafpXWQ0aDZRy976pw3kb2yFhjSYSs8VC1NAapTZXB3jpGs33OD9ksZF9jU_30WGjPyJLSsh1JkDNWBXA8j49jjyAdFl7BKQXD3azHQQvyq2xCRKV8vTxJt9AB0KToMDBcghg/s1600/HabitatforFamiliesHouse+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqN7PosmafpXWQ0aDZRy976pw3kb2yFhjSYSs8VC1NAapTZXB3jpGs33OD9ksZF9jU_30WGjPyJLSsh1JkDNWBXA8j49jjyAdFl7BKQXD3azHQQvyq2xCRKV8vTxJt9AB0KToMDBcghg/s400/HabitatforFamiliesHouse+2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Photo Credit: </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Anni Bricca</span></span></div>
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Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-75163891298640688472012-11-27T05:30:00.000-08:002013-07-17T15:00:43.988-07:00The Ridiculously Simple Holiday Gift Guide - $25 and up<br />
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<b>Part 2: $25 and up - The Gift That Keeps on Giving</b></div>
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<span class="s1">Once again, most of us are struggling, in one fashion or another, to buy the perfect gift for a variety of people on our shopping list. As always, some people are harder to buy for than others. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Cost</b>: $25 and up. <b>Effort</b>: Practically zero. <b>Impact</b>: Huge. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">So, for the 2nd part of The Ridiculously Simple Holiday Gift Guide, my suggestion is Kiva. As I said in my first part, studies show that consumerism (buying stuff) doesn't really bring happiness. What does bring us happiness, however, is being grateful for what we already have, and selfless acts such as helping someone else. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> If you've not heard about Kiva, it's a micro-lending organization that enriches entrepreneurs in third world countries. By securing micro-loans from individuals, it gives hard working people the means to start or grow their small businesses and become more successful and self-reliant. It also positively affects the quality of life for their families. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">This may be the perfect gift for the person who really has it all, or for the boss, client or colleague you're not comfortable buying a personal gift for, but would like to do something lovely or appropriate, just the same. Nothing says, "I've arrived", more nicely than doing something great in the name of someone else. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Keeping it real on the flip side, nothing is more sly, smart or satisfying than circumventing a gift you feel obligated to give, than by giving the gift to someone else, in the name of your required recipient. Unsavory relative, client or co-worker? The Secret Santa nightmare? It's the perfect solution, and someone really deserving benefits, too. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> Regardless of who, how or why you're gifting, in nearly every case where you and the recipient live an industrialized nation, you are light years ahead of the poverty and hardships that the Kiva recipients face, many of which live below one or two dollars a day. We all have so much living here in these advanced societies, sharing with someone who doesn't is very meaningful to everyone involved, and subsequently, may also increase your happiness quotient when you realize how much you truly do have. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">For any of the gifting scenarios, $25 in their name to a worthy recipient through Kiva, which is actually a LOAN that is repaid, is a wonderful way to give and make a real difference. When the loan is repaid, the recipient can choose to reinvest in another worthy entrepreneur, in a country of their choice. Or, they may take the dollars you originally gifted back into their own pocket and <strike>waste</strike> spend it on a round of Starbucks or something equally <strike>fleeting</strike> <strike>overpriced</strike> desirable. Karma is their choice. At least your gift can't be rebuffed or misconstrued, doesn't start out as a reindeer sweater that they're going return, or worse surreptitiously re-gifted. Problems upon problems solved! </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> But there's more. You also have a Kiva gift for waiting for me, and this one won't cost you a thing. Follow my invite to Kiva. Simply for registering to have a look around, a benevolent donor at Kiva will give me $25 to invest in a worthy person to enrich their lives - for free. When these donor loan are repaid, it stays within Kiva to help yet another person - which is perfect. I always pick women entrepreneurs and generally those who are working in healthy food enterprises. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The site is inspiring, which will also increase your happiness & gratitude quotient. Now tell me, when was the last time a holiday gift guide gave you so much? </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://bit.ly/XW9XAi">Please join me in checking out Kiva</a></span><span class="s1"> and jot down three things you're grateful for today!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">There are, of course, many worthy organizations that may better match those on your gift list. There are a multitude of world wide children's organization, Animal foundations, such as one of my favorites, <a href="http://www.elephant.com/"><span class="s2">The Elephant Sanctuary</span></a> or home to so many of us here, <span class="s2">BreastHealthOnline</span>. There are many, many more worthy places, including your own local civic organizations. All of which are in need of our help and would make inspiring choices for your gift recipients. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I'd love to hear how micro-lending at Kiva or gifting through to any organization made a difference in your holiday giving and changed someone's life, including yours!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Here's wishing you a happier holiday and more prosperous New Year to everyone on your holiday list, and beyond. </span></div>
Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-83303019140739207042012-11-26T12:54:00.000-08:002012-12-02T11:54:01.446-08:00The Ridiculously Simple Holiday Gift Guide $0-$25<br />
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<span class="s1">In light of Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday this holiday season, in a two part article, I'd like to give you two very different ideas for gifts that you might not have previously considered.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Part 1 of The Ridiculously Simple Holiday Gift Guide:</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Cost</b>: $0-$25. <b>Effort</b>: Minimal to simple. <b>Impact</b>: Huge. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">It's that time of year again. We're all scrambling, often times without enough dollars or daylight, to buy the perfect gift for the people we love, care about and respect. Most gifts are really an expression of how we feel about another person. With the gift representing and conveying our feelings for us, no wonder it's so hard to pick the right one!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> At the same time, we're also wishing people a happy New Year, while contemplating another year passing, and our own future. But what if you could stop wishing and actually bring about a happier New Year for yourself and others through your gift? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">If you only had between $0 and $25, what truly meaningful gift could you give to your loved ones that would make a measurable difference in their lives in the next year? If there was any way that even a zero dollar investment could change your lives, this first idea would be my number one pick. It also happens to be my gift for you: A Gratitude Journal. Don't scoff, and keep reading - remember this is my gift to you, so at least take a minute to 'open it' and pretend to be overcome with joy. Who knows, it might actually work! </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="150" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6695934.451;sz=180x150;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802463524;pid=8014871;usg=AFHzDLvShTpvgXbQsRpnAIhsdcXdfjhM7A;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.cafepress.com%252F%252Bgratitude_journal%252C8014871%253Fcmp%253Dpfc--f--us--100--8014871%2526sourcecode%253Daffiliate%2526pid%253D6673073%2526utm_cp_signal%253D93;pubid=600953;price=%2412.50;title=Gratitude+journal;merc=CafePress.com;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.cafepress.com%2Fproduct%2F8014871_480x480_f.jpg;width=85;height=85" vspace="0" width="180"></iframe><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">What will you and yours receive from this ridiculously simple gift? Well, the benefits are literally priceless: With it, you can exponentially change the happiness quotient this coming year for yourself, and others. What would you give if you could be a whole lot happier? Exactly. Quite a lot. Except you can't buy happiness. Fortunately, it doesn't need to cost a thing, and it's actually quite simple. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Studies show that consumerism (buying stuff) doesn't really bring happiness. One thing that really does bring us happiness, however, is being grateful for what we already have. If you lost everything and you only had the ability to breathe and blink, you'd start there. But, fortunately, most of us aren't anywhere near this dire of circumstances. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">By simply by writing down as few as three things you're grateful for each day, you can change your life and the lives of your loved ones by helping them on this truly simple path.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="150" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6675774.1133;sz=180x150;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802463762;pid=UBM9780982322017;usg=AFHzDLv24OzLCzMmvFYcJlP2hy2VFpO8Iw;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.cdsbooksdvds.com%252Fproduct.jhtm%253Fsku%253DUBM9780982322017;pubid=600953;price=%2435.95;title=Gratitude+Expressions;merc=CDS+Books+and+DVDS;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fc375816.r16.cf1.rackcdn.com%2F9780982322017.jpg;width=56;height=85" vspace="0" width="180"></iframe><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">At <a href="http://bit.ly/QGIYps"><span class="s2">ActionForHappiness.org</span></a>, they recommend writing down three things you're grateful for each day. They state, "People who are grateful tend to be happier, healthier and more fulfilled. Being grateful can help people cope with stress and can even have a beneficial effect on heart rate. This action is easy to do yet its benefits have been scientifically proven. In tests, people who tried it each night for just one week were happier and less depressed one month, three months and six months later."</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So, your task is to buy, make or otherwise create a Gratitude Journal. One for yourself and as many journal gifts as you plan to give. Traditional, hands-on journals can be simple or elaborate, large or small, store bought, or handmade, or they can easily be free. You can buy any notebook or a handmade Gratitude Journal off of Etsy from $3 and up. You can handcraft a little notebook out of scraps of paper, dedicate a sticky-note pad, or up-cycle an unused notebook yourself. You could even just create a little tutorial gift card to share the idea of a gratitude journal with someone. Then make a pact with yourself and your loved ones to follow through on your version of choice. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="150" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6695934.452;sz=180x150;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802463524;pid=12882279;usg=AFHzDLu7AJ1Uu7_bNO7gmwECuXmyohMX1A;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.cafepress.com%252F%252Bgratitude_journal%252C12882279%253Fcmp%253Dpfc--f--us--100--12882279%2526sourcecode%253Daffiliate%2526pid%253D6673073%2526utm_cp_signal%253D92;pubid=600953;price=%2412.50;title=Gratitude+journal;merc=CafePress.com;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.cafepress.com%2Fproduct%2F12882279_480x480_f.jpg;width=85;height=85" vspace="0" width="180"></iframe><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">On the net, via sites like Instagram, anyone can create a visual gratitude journal, with text and representative or random photos. You could post your gratitude as your Facebook status once a day. Using your Twitter account, or create a dedicated one to tweet to gratitude to your heart's content. There are also Gratitude Journal sites such as <a href="http://happyrambles.com./"><span class="s2">http://happyrambles.com.</span></a> Apps abound; Sixteen of them exist for the iPhone alone, ranging from free to $1.99. You could even create a personal youtube tutorial on the idea and options involved and electronically share your gift with one or many. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Whichever mode you choose, being regularly cognizant of what you're grateful for will change your life. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">There are also some fun things you can do with your journal. On a pen and paper book, you can use the left side of an entry page to write down what you're grateful for today, and then use the facing right hand side of the page to jot down what you want to be grateful for tomorrow. Example, on Monday night you could write on the right hand side, "I'm grateful for all the people who are kind to me on Tuesday". Do it, and some really unusual things will start happening to you. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I did a silly experiment with this. On my 'grateful for tomorrow page' I wrote down how grateful I was that everyone I encountered in my day was kind to me. It works best if you don't 'ask for stuff', ahem. It's wild, because every time I do it, it's like being on Candid Camera. I think, seriously, this must be a joke. It's as if some friend of mine had read my journal from 2 am and set out to tell each random person I encounter the day ahead to be ridiculously nice to me, all of which is extremely unlikely, if not impossible. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> It was so effective, however, that I just started laughing at one point after about 16 ridiculously positive interactions. In fact, it worked so well I found myself delayed due to in depth conversations from the kindest people imaginable. Be careful what you wish for! Truth is: it works. and clearly, if I can stand in the middle of a crowded store full of strangers and laugh, I'm already happier. DO IT. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="150" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6535998.1009;sz=180x150;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802464048;pid=10002196;usg=AFHzDLvGx2zFIEgA_H2W9GByH_g_thDPWw;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.officemax.com%252Foffice-supplies%252Fpens-pencils-markers%252Fpens%252Ffine-writing%252Fproduct-prod2240132%253Fcm_mmc%253DPerformics-_-Office%252520Supplies-_-Pens%252C%252520Pencils%252C%252520and%252520Markers-_-Pens%2526ci_src%253D14110944%2526ci_sku%253D10002196;pubid=600953;price=%2425.98;title=Cross+Classic+Century+...;merc=OfficeMax;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.officemax.com%2Fcatalog%2Fimages%2F397x353%2F10002196i_01.jpg;width=95;height=85" vspace="0" width="180"></iframe><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Some interesting things will start to happen, besides being happier. With the 'grateful for tomorrow page', you'll start to notice that what you wrote on your 'grateful for tomorrow' page will actually start appearing on your 'grateful for today' page. It effectively brings what you were looking for into your life. So, when I did this experiment, I ended up being grateful for all the people who were actually kind to me that day. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> It's fun to play with it, and if you're playing with this, you've already brought some intrigue and joy into your own life by doing so. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Here's to a beautiful season ahead and a happier New Year for you and your friends and family. I hope that you will put this gift to work for yourself and others in your life. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I'd love to hear how your gratitude journal (either new from this post, or if you're already journaling) has changed your life.</span></div>
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Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-58980046717242437842011-09-23T12:50:00.000-07:002011-09-23T13:20:25.659-07:00Breast Health: Is a Pink or Gray Barrier Affecting Your Quality of Life?<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Originally Published in </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.comfortlife.ca/blog/breast-health-is-a-pink-or-gray-barrier-affecting-your-quality-of-life-286/">The Pulse of Comfort Life Magazine</a> </span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Breast Health: </span></b></div><div style="color: #3d85c6; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Is a Pink or Gray Barrier </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Affecting Your Quality of Life? </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">Ten years ago my then-72-year-old mom came to me for help and shared that she had spent years concealing a painful breast condition. Fortunately, she did not have breast cancer. Unfortunately, no equivalent pink-ribboned industry exists for education and funding for the non-cancerous breast conditions that she and many other women face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">When we sat down to talk, however, she had a new advantage going for her. The previous year, my group founded <a href="http://breasthealthonline.org/">BreastHealthOnline.org</a>, a non-profit to help women address the breast conditions that are not supported by “pink funding.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">My mom admitted that she had stabbing back pain, numbness and tingling down her arms and hands, crushing bruises over her collar bones and painful, sticky rashes beneath her breasts. Her disproportionately large breasts were causing her physical and psychological pain on a daily basis. Unfortunately, no doctor, including her gynecologist, ever addressed this over all the decades in which she suffered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Many conditions like this are not age-specific, but for women age 50 and older it usually means they’ve suffered longer and have endured further damage along the way. With no major funding for patient education, many women will live out their lives without any relief.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">My mom is not alone. Many women don’t realize there is medical help available. If they are aware of the procedures that could help them, some may be affected by the “gray barrier”, thinking they’re too old or that it’s too late. Worse, health-care providers are often reluctant to broach the topic, despite the fact that disproportionately large breasts are medically recognized and covered. What women age 50 and older and of reasonably good health need to know is that these procedures are available, safe and appropriate within their age group. The benefits are improved health and self-esteem, resulting in an increased quality of life after so many years of suffering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Statistics were not available from the Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, but in the United States last year, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that more than half of the 85,000 breast reductions performed were for women 40 and older. A third of those were for women 55 and older.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">While medical care for these conditions does exist, proper information and knowledgeable self care is imperative if a woman is to experience a successful surgery, recovery and outcome. BreastHealthOnline.org has proven invaluable to women, including many in their 50s, 60s and 70s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">One of the most frequently asked questions from women age 50 and older is how well they will heal in relation to their age. Our experience in the last decade has echoed what top plastic surgeon Dr. Grant Stevens of Marina del Rey, California, taught us in our early days. Recoveries for patients between the ages of 20 and the late 70s remain stable and consistent across the board. We’ve also discovered that more mature patients have far less scarring and healing problems than their younger counterparts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">My mom, now 82, experienced a flawless recovery and has enjoyed the last ten years without the pain and encumbrances she struggled with for so many decades in the past. These conditions are clearly worth looking into for the life-changing benefits that can be achieved. It’s not too late to greatly improve your life.</span>Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-1054161741415854772011-09-15T20:16:00.000-07:002011-09-23T12:52:39.338-07:00Update on Our Mangled Paypal Account<span style="font-size: small;">Paypal effectively mangled our operating funds for pretty much an entire month between August and September. Unlike their agreement, which specifies exactly how and in what time frame they are bound to resolve issues, the circumstances that they hoisted upon us weren't outlined in their own rules of engagement. You see, there was actually nothing wrong with our account. They had requested updated information, of which we produced immediately and fully. But, despite meeting all requirements, our account remained locked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Unfortunately, there were no rules for what they were doing to us. They gave no indication as to what to expect or when to expect resolution. We were basically just shut out. As one of their supervisors said, "Even I can't access the people who deal with this". Wow, pretty scary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> So, with tons of conflicting messages from the various Paypal people we spoke to, basically one hand not knowing what the other hand was doing, there was no end in sight or controls in place to make them accountable. We were simply adrift indefinitely, unable to pay our bills for the first time in the history of our organization. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Due to the considerable horror stories we've heard about Paypal seizing accounts, we count ourselves extremely lucky now, however, to have been allowed back into our account where we could retrieve what was rightfully ours. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> But getting our funds back was just half the equation. Having our account locked down also prevented us from our normal monthly business transactions that raises money for the months ahead. August and September are typically good months for us and those efforts have pretty much been lost.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> The emergency fundraising we did via the awesome Amazon payment buttons on the the right of blog here have raised about $700, for which we are grateful. We covered our immediate needs but failed our normal momentum during our down time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> We are continuing our emergency fundraising via the Amazon payment buttons on the right while we catch up. If you can pay some breast health forward, the person you help may be yourself or someone you love. ♥</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> I am working on the email receipts to the 32 donors who gave last week, please don't think you've been forgotten. Thank you again for your help and support. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anni Bricca</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Founder Breast Health Foundation</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">www.BreastHealthOnline.org</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-62502510712008271862011-09-07T18:29:00.000-07:002011-12-06T13:13:04.991-08:00Thank you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-RkMz7MBz9jS7CSybn44u1DBGZfEjV4cq239fwH4NKHYqQWxlv4Kdg2qScLeEYWA17-x171P6kua8ijVbWkQMVC03lAOXxCVMvIqyBZfftMiwkAAglbp35Nela1Ah0HXO3GkJxM2Dgs/s1600/BHOTHX2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-RkMz7MBz9jS7CSybn44u1DBGZfEjV4cq239fwH4NKHYqQWxlv4Kdg2qScLeEYWA17-x171P6kua8ijVbWkQMVC03lAOXxCVMvIqyBZfftMiwkAAglbp35Nela1Ah0HXO3GkJxM2Dgs/s1600/BHOTHX2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Bookmark this page, or right click to save the above image, along with your email confirmation from Amazon as your tax receipt. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Please accept our sincerest thanks for helping us to bring these direct services to women all over the world. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Annette Bricca</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Founder - The Breast Health Foundation</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>BreastHealthOnline.org</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>flickr.credits: </i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Jos_vanWunnik Bellah Steev-o </i></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfv2HrOaSuN-LpCyHOKCwh60Ji10dBZL8cJBc1xfhRUWh-UEl1mD0xEck38SLwgpUhqHG3Whjevcg0cHlUnb29JTveddSjgXjrFL7SWDVb29NQABXJsVX-YUgTa7Rs4xqU2x11dQ64C1I/s1600/BHOThanks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-4196971460637758052011-09-06T20:46:00.000-07:002011-09-19T23:56:15.078-07:00We're Having a Little Emergency!<span style="font-size: small;"> Despite a lot of hardships, nothing has stopped us from successfully funding and running our organization for the last 10 years. In fact, we’re proud of the fact that we’re completely virtual, run on a bit of a shoe-string, yet have done so much to help others. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> But in 4 short days, Paypal has taken us out. After 7 years of being ‘a very good customer’, they requested our non-profit documentation as part of the new IRS compliance. This was no problem. We’re a bonafide 501(c)(3) non-profit since 2001. I went about providing the necessary information the very first day we received notice. We had 4 days to fully comply or our account would be ‘limited’. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> After providing every document imaginable, they asked us to click a series of buttons to change to a different type of account. Not a problem. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> But we were unable to complete the request because of a glitch in their system. It continually took us to the wrong screen. Many, many calls later only ended in our account being ‘limited’ as the 4 days ran out, which in effect means they have hold of our entire operating expenses for the month of September and beyond. Limited really means seized. OH we can take donations - we just can’t access the funds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Like maybe - ever. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> I’ve never had to do this, but as the Breast Health Foundation’s founder, I’m putting out an emergency call for our non-profit to mitigate our losses and save our site.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> We are in need of emergency donations due to the actions of Paypal. We opened a non-profit Amazon Pay account to accept these. They had everything ready to go for us in less than 10 hours. I wish I’d known about this sooner - many thanks to Jonathan Leissler. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Our new Amazon donation buttons are located in the right sidebar ---> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Please give if you can. Can you donate a couple ‘Starbucks coffees’ to us? No, we won’t drink the coffee, we’ll put the money to use running the site! Please give. Our services are greatly needed. The breast care we provide receives no pink funding. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">There is more than one breast disease and condition that affects women. We are mainly member supported. These are women who are supported by no one else but themselves, which I think is a crime in itself. Many of these woman are facing surgery today, tomorrow, this week, and depend on us to be here. Please help if you can. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Those who know me know I rarely ask for anything - am generally on the other end offering <i>my</i> help. Please hear my plea today and help us bridge the gap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Donations are tax deductible. I will manually email out all receipts to donors. Since Amazon payments are new to us, let me know if you need any help or encounter any problems. You can leave a comment here or find me under the same name on Twitter, Facebook, G+ and Gmail: <i>AnniBricca</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you,</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anni Bricca</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Founder & CEO</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Breast Health Foundation</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">BreastHealthOnline.org</span>Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-40462201961962457382011-08-27T13:11:00.000-07:002018-06-11T13:36:50.330-07:00Breast Health: More Than One Disease<span style="font-size: small;">Originally published in the <a href="http://www.heralddeparis.com/breast-health-more-than-one-disease/144443">Herald de Paris</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Breast Health:</b> <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">More Than One Disease </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">By Herald de Paris Contributor's Bureau on August 12, 2011 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>By Annette (Anni) Bricca for BreastHealthOnline.org</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>LOUISVILLE (Herald de Paris) –</b> A concerned young man from Cape Town, South Africa, wrote to me recently, alarmed that bovine growth hormone in cow’s milk is causing breast cancer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I sat here and pondered his sweet, singular message. I reflected over my years of self-directed diet and nutrition study and my work with tens of thousands of breast surgery patients — real women from all over the world who make up the fabric of our society. One thing I know for sure is that from the tip of the iceberg to the tip of South Africa, our diets, which have greatly strayed from anything resembling whole, natural and authentic, are deeply destroying our health and, specifically, women’s breast health.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">When people meet me they often assume a slight tilt to their heads, soften their expressions and lower their voices while expressing to me what a noble cause breast cancer is. I couldn’t agree with them more. Except that’s not what I do. My work is actually breast health. We are one of the few non-profit organizations (if not the only one) that help women through the many conditions and surgeries that aren’t breast cancer-related. And believe me, while you may or may not have had to think about it, breast cancer is not the only breast affliction a woman can face in her lifetime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sadly, only breast cancer non-profits and for-profits receive funding, which means that the resources available to women for everyday breast afflictions are largely non-funded and underdeveloped (even though these also help to detect, as well as work to prevent, breast cancer). To top it off, those administering the much-needed care and information are nearly always unpaid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Mother Teresa said, “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I’m from the Mother Teresa school of thought, which says that anything you fight will persist. I’m not anti-breast cancer. I’m pro-health. My work for over the last decade has to do with the breast afflictions women face (and the resulting care they need) that do not fall under the auspices or funding that breast cancer receives. My work also has to do with the whole woman, as well as her family and the community, in terms of learning how to use nutrition to actually sustain and promote life and health.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I feel this is one of the most important aspects of maintaining breast health.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">It is the foundation of our life and health. Food is life. We are what we eat, and we cannot sustain life and health with fast food nor with boxed and processed foods sitting on grocery store shelves. I’m constantly struck by the oddness of seeing grocery carts filled with brightly colored boxes, cans and packages. What is that? That’s not food. Real food consists of whole, natural, unprocessed, living works of art that you could hunt and gather yourself in nature. While our society has moved away from our own hunting and gathering, our return to our original diets is a tremendous and profound necessity if we have any hope of true wellness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Articles, studies and movements abound on the diets and increased disease states and mortality rates of entire countries. In France, Japan and other countries, more western and globally processed foods are taking over traditional “slow food” culture, though it’s been going on for much longer than the last century. France appears to be suffering from an unusually alarming and worsening mortality rate with breast cancer patients, despite the grass-roots “Slow Food” movement that began in Italy in 1986 and subsequently founded at Opéra Comique in Paris, where the Slow Food Manifesto was signed in 1989.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">While country-wide and global movements are much needed, hands-on care on an individual basis is still required to enact real change. We work with women individually to first teach them what they need to know about the procedures they’re facing, then to teach them how to eat so they can recover and heal effectively. We have their attention the longest during this period of time, and we endeavor to reach as many women as we can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Women sometimes find us after their surgeries, armed with little or no information or support. Some have gaping wounds and have spent considerable time applying ointment and bandages to no avail. In one case, leeches were applied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Within two weeks, if they really listen, we can make a marked difference and see them through to complete healing. But we also can change their lives forever, as well as the lives of their families, at the same time through the knowledge they gain. I developed “The Healing Diet,” a whole, natural foods diet, with the help of surgeon Dr. Grant Stevens, who also worked in burn wards. This diet promotes healing as well as effectively balances blood sugar. Stable blood sugar promotes healing and good health. Natural, whole, unprocessed foods are the cornerstone. The diet builds on itself to teach lifelong dietary skills to those who take advantage of our free and unending help that now encompasses quite a few programs and options.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As an organization, our goal is to find a city, state or country, as well as funding, that would welcome and embrace a large headquarters to directly assist people — individuals, families, the local community and the global community — by teaching about breast health, whole health and beyond. It would be a waste of time and funding to not be in the midst of an engaged, true community. It is from there that our work will spread. We have a very clear vision of the mission and goals we want to accomplish and have had this vision for the last decade. But because the only aspect of breast health that is funded is actually a disease — breast cancer — there are no grants, major funding, contributions, corporate or private donor gifts available for breast health and the betterment of health for people everywhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">While it is important to make medical advances in disease states, we also must direct funding to promote true health and wellness. As soon as we begin to focus our time, energy and money on promoting authentic health, the degree to which we will have to fight breast cancer (and many other diseases) will lessen greatly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Anni Bricca</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Founder & CEO BreastHealthOnline.org</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Please consider donating to our organization via the Paypal link on the upper right side of the page. We receive no pink funding and depend on readers like you to make a difference for the tens of thousands of women we help.</span>Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824703854343510183.post-72421630629370524682011-08-27T11:47:00.000-07:002014-10-17T19:32:46.769-07:00Breast Health: How Have We Helped You?<span style="font-size: small;">At <a href="http://breasthealthonline.org/">BreastHealthOnline.org</a> we've help tens of thousands of women through breast surgery and recovery over the last decade. This help also includes one on one help with our <a href="http://www.breasthealthonline.org/healing-diet" target="_blank">Healing Diet</a> and more. These tools and skills go on to help women well past their surgeries, in effect helping to promote better overall health for women and even their families for a lifetime. This is the basis of true breast health.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> This posting is for our members to come and leave comments about how we've helped them. They are comments about how we've helped them through surgery, recovery, with our healing diet, with their weight loss or overall health and beyond. It is our permanent record, otherwise is lost in a sea of posts on our very busy site.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Thank you to all our members. Without you our amazing organization wouldn't exist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Annette (Anni) Bricca</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Founder & CEO BreastHealthOnline.org</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> If we've helped you, please leave your comments below. We'll moderate and post them as they're added. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">TY Shari :D </span></div>
Annihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15203862809881466481noreply@blogger.com33