Help Half the Sky

I know this doesn't have to do with my adoption journey directly, but it's a cause near and dear to my heart. There's never quite enough I can do to help, but here's an opportunity to help Half the Sky meet the needs of thousands of children displaced by the Sichuan earthquake last May. Their earthquake relief program has been nominated for American Express' Member's Project for innovative projects that help others. For this round, you don't even have to be a card member to vote. Can you help them get into the top 25?

A few excerpts from the email I received today:

By now you’ve heard all about the BigTops – the children’s activity centers that Half the Sky is operating in Sichuan refugee camps to help displaced children recover emotionally from the earthquake. The first four camps are now in operation; more will soon follow.

Our project is called, "HELP CHILDREN RECOVER FROM EARTHQUAKE IN CHINA" and with your support it could get enough funding from American Express to build and operate four BigTops for two years. The first step is to gather lots of nominations. To nominate our project for potential funding, please follow these simple steps:

1. Go to http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/YBIBMW

2. Click on "NOMINATE THIS PROJECT" button

3. Sign up & log in as a Guest Member or a Cardmember

4. The button will turn into a sentence that says "You have nominated
this project"

I think she undersells this project in the email - they're so more than just activity centers. Preschool programs, afterschool care, counselors to help them through the trauma and grief, a chance to give the children a safe place that puts some of their routines back in their lives. The deadline is September 1st...and these kids need you!