Dad’s Big Day: A Brief History of Father's Day

On July 19, 1910, the governor of the U.S. state of Washington proclaimed the nation’s first Father’s Day. However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States. Celebrate your father today by making him feel special and loved with a homemade gift or meal or even the nicest gift of all, your time!

For your friends who may have lost their father, check in with them as this day will be difficult and there are many “rad dads” who are elders with wonderful stories to tell at senior centers.  Head to your local café and grab some yummy pastries, coffee and tea and honor the elders in your community

Ways to Help Migrant Children in Today's Immigration Crisis

Have you considered volunteering to serve as a Child Advocate in Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Harlingen, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, or Washington, D.C. 

Who are Child Advocates?

A Child Advocate is an adult who volunteers to spend time with and advocate on behalf of an individual unaccompanied immigrant child while he or she is subject to deportation proceedings. We welcome volunteers from all cultures, professions, races, ethnicities and social backgrounds. Advocates must be at least 21 years old. We have a particular need for bilingual volunteers who speak Spanish. In Chicago, we always need volunteers who speak Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Romanian and other languages.

How can I become a Child Advocate?

Volunteering as a Young Center Child Advocate means being a reliable, trustworthy, and professional presence for children who are in federal custody, and accordingly, we have a thorough clearance and training process. We get to know prospective volunteers through an initial screening interview, an application Make a difference in the life of an unaccompanied immigrant child by and reference check, and at the required two-day training.

In order to be eligible to enter the detention centers, volunteers must also submit to an FBI background check, a child abuse and neglect (CAN) background check, and a medical screening for tuberculosis.

Once assigned to an individual child, each Child Advocate receives continuing training, support, and supervision from the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.

What do Child Advocates commit to do?

• Visit with the child each week.
• Help the child think through options and decisions.
• Accompany the child to court hearings and other important meetings and interviews.
• Conduct research on the child’s situation in his or her home country.
• Develop best interest recommendations with Young Center staff.
• Maintain communication with the Young Center staff.
• Advocate for the best interest of the child alongside Young Center staff.

Help Abused Women and Kids

Last week was Abused Women and Children’s Awareness Day but with what is going on in the daily news, it should be every day. There are many ways you can help, both large adn small. And the little things count for a lot. 

 Collect coupons for life’s little essentials, buy the merchandise, and then donate them to a homeless shelter or a home for abused women and children. I donate magazines and books to my shelter of choice, the fantastic folks at Delancey Street (www.delanceystreetfoundation.org) who have been making a difference in people’s lives for decades and turned thousands of lives around.

Give Your Old Clothes a Promotion: Donate to Dress for Success

Join the decluttering craze and help others at the same time!

Donate your unworn professional clothing to http://www.dressforsuccess.org/. This organization promotes economic independence for disadvantaged women by providing them with clothing they can wear to work and advance their career and confidence.

Be Kind To Yourself, Too

Make a commitment to yourself to refrain from negative self-talk. Be kind to yourself and focus on the traits you like rather than the ones you don’t. 

The extremely wise Dawna Markova, the author of some of my favorite books including I Will Not Die An Unlived Life, says “Your soul remembers when you put yourself down; it imprints upon you. Never do this. Self-compassion is key to a life well-lived.”

Catch People Doing Something Right (and Make Sure They Know It!)

During difficult transitions, our natural tendency is often to contract and grow rigid. In this state we seem to only be able to focus on the negatives. We think about the despair and torment of the death of a loved one, but not the wonderful moments spent together. We think of the heartbreak of a relationship ending, but not of the exhilaration and freedom of being unattached. We might even scold our loved ones, or our friends, or coworkers for something minor or insignificant when we wallow in such negativity. But it is in these moments specifically that gratitude can be used to alter this way of thinking.

Finding positives and accentuating them is the easiest way to turn those proverbial frowns upside down and gray skies back to blue. Try catching someone doing something right for a change, not something wrong. Giving praise for a job well done lift all parties involved and is the easiest way to say, “Thank You,” without actually having to say it.

Start a Changepot

This is exactly as it sounds: a pot for change. If you don’t mind stopping in the middle of a room or the sidewalk—and maybe getting a few looks from passersby—pick up loose change that has fallen on the ground. Add your findings to the same jar and after a few months, see how much you have collected. If you’re strapped for cash, spend your findings on a nice meal for your family. If you are fairly stable financially, donate the money (anonymously) to a good cause.