Exciting
news! There are now two new ways to donate to Betty Brewer’s Angels without
spending a penny of your own money! Yes, that is right, you do not have to
spend anything to help us alleviate loneliness of residents living in
long-term-care facilities! How does this happen? Simply put, many generous companies
have charitable giving programs where they distribute a percentage of their
income to non-profit organizations (like Betty Brewer’s Angels) when you use
the companies’ services.
After you read about these
companies, please continue reading to end, so you will not miss the story about
one of our amazing volunteers and how she has changed a resident’s life.
1. Amazon Smile: Go to http://www.smile.amazon.com, log into your Amazon
account or create an account if you do not have one, and then select Betty
Brewer’s Angels from the list of eligible charities. Amazon will remember the
charity you choose.
Then
when you shop at Amazon, simply go to the www.smile.amazon.com web page instead
of your regular Amazon page and shop from there.
Amazon.com and Amazon Smile use the
same account so your shopping cart, wish lists, registries, and account
settings remain the same. However, in order for a donation to be made to Betty
Brewer's Angels by Amazon, your orders should be made from www.smile.amazon.com.
Amazon
remembers your selection so when you look at the top ribbon (that bar at the
top of your web page) of your Amazon page, it states you are donating to Betty
Brewer's Angels.
Every
eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation to
Betty Brewer’s Angels. My browser remembers to take me to that page
automatically. Easy-peasy! (Even if you
do not use the computer, please pass this information on to someone who does.)
2. Thrivent Financial (Thrivent Choice Dollars
program): The Thrivent Choice
Dollars program is through Thrivent Financial, a Fortune 500 not-for-profit membership organization of
Christians.
The Thrivent
Choice program offers a way for eligible members to recommend where Thrivent
Financial distributes some of its charitable grant funds each year. When you
designate Betty Brewer’s Angels as the non-profit charity, Thrivent will
provide a percentage of their grant dollars to us.
Choice Dollars
designated to eligible benefit members in 2015 must be directed by March 31,
2016.
If you wondering if are eligible to
participate in Choice Dollars, or are uncertain about your eligibility, visit www.Thrivent.com/thriventchoice
or telephone: 1-800-847-4836. Again,
could it be easier to help us help others?
Also please, do not forget, we have
been a participating charity with Kroger for some time now through their Kroger
Community Reward program. All you have
to do is register at www.krogercommunityreward.com, designate Betty Brewer’s
Angels as your chosen charity, and then every time you swipe your Kroger Plus
Card, Kroger gives a percentage of your purchase to us!
Here is one story how
your dollars help us to make this world a better place.
Several weeks ago while making the rounds of long-term care
facilities where Betty Brewer’s Angels’ volunteers visit, I found myself
wishing that everyone who donated to Betty Brewer’s Angels could have been with
me. Then you, as I did, would have heard
story after story about how our volunteers, by their weekly visits with the
same resident, are changing lives.
Here is one of the many inspiring stories I heard that
day. While walking down the hallway, I
was stopped by the facilities’ volunteer coordinator who wanted to tell me
about the difference our volunteer, Martha (in photo), has made in the life of
the resident she visits.
Martha started
volunteering with Betty Brewer’s Angels this summer. The resident she chose to visit with was a
woman who was so cranky the facility had difficulty keeping a roommate in her
room. The resident barely talked to
anyone and when she did it was not always pleasant. Also, she refused to leave her room.
Now, the volunteer coordinator told me, Martha has not only
succeeded in getting the resident to leave her room but that whenever she sees
Martha and the resident together they are always gaily chatting away. And not just with each other, but with other
residents too. A total transformation!
When I telephoned Martha to tell her what a difference she
has made with her visits, Martha told me that last week when she was there, the
resident called out to another resident asking him to come over to meet “my
friend.” After the residents were
talking awhile the male resident said, “You certainly have changed for the
better”. If you ever want an honest
opinion about anything, I advise you to ask a resident of a long-term-care
facility. (smiling here)
Martha went on to tell me that when the resident she visits
identified Martha as “her friend”, Martha’s heart just melted. She said it was
the nicest compliment she could have received.
This is just one of the stories I heard that
day about how our volunteers are bringing joy back into the lives of the lonely
residents they visit. You, by your
prayers and donations, make these miracles happen every day.
If you are interested
in hearing more about the work Betty Brewer’s Angels do or are interested in
being a part of our volunteering team, please contact me at 614-309-4677 or email me at bettybrewersangels@wowway.com.
