About Amy.Gress

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So far Amy.Gress has created 177 blog entries.

THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION & CHARITABLE GIVING

All charities are trying to figure out how to capture the attention of the next generation of donors and volunteers.   Heads of charities know that in most cases their support base is made up of aging baby boomers who want to leave the world a better place and have the means to make a difference.   The question is how to get the “Millennial Generation” to buy in and want to get involved?   As a Professor and Program Coordinator, I interact with dozens of millennials every day. Many millennials I speak with cite three main reasons for not getting involved, they say: I have little disposable income I am too busy [...]

2018-01-06T12:56:57+00:00

CLIMBER RAISES FUNDS FOR AFCA BY HOSTING PAINT NIGHT

The 2017 Machu Picchu climbing team continues to work hard to fundraise on behalf of The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA). We’d like to highlight one climber, Nikki, who hosted a paint night to benefit AFCA. A few shots from her evening are posted below and we would like to thank all those who participated and donated. If you’d like to get involved with fundraising and maybe host a paint night of your own…or maybe join a climbing team for the adventure of a lifetime, please let us know! The Paint Night was a wonderful opportunity to not only support a great cause but create something unique and [...]

2018-01-06T13:11:26+00:00

EGGS AND MORE EGGS

For an HIV+ child, taking medications is essential to successful treatment and these medicines should not be taken without food. At AFCA, we see food as part of treatment and we call it Nutrition by Prescription.  We want to make sure that all the children who need it, receive the food they need to take their medicine, to thrive, and to grow. Sustainable solutions Prolonged instability in the Zimbabwean economy over the past years, along with a severe drought, has left many homes vulnerable, without food and other basic necessities, especially child-headed homes. Even orphanages and other children’s' homes are suffering due to a lack of funding. With this in [...]

2018-01-06T13:16:37+00:00

FOOD TO EAT EACH AND EVERY DAY

In 2016 I visited the village of Miwani, Kenya, where AFCA has various projects. My intention for this visit was to see how things are going, plan for the future, and teach some conservation farming techniques so that gardens would grow despite lack of rain. We worked hard and have a great time.  The older children from Hadrein Academy helped plant seeds and there was much laughter as we worked together. This was the first time that mulch was used on plants in their garden and we had no idea how things would turn out. Something must have gone not-quite-right, as some of the plants didn’t grow as they should [...]

2018-01-06T13:31:29+00:00

SCHOOLS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN ELSEWHERE

As the executive director of an organization that helps children in Africa, I am always happy to have children in other parts of the world work side by side with us.  We’ve been so blessed to count on children of all ages as supporters of the work we do and today, they are on the forefront of my mind. I look back to the first time we hosted children from New Covenant Christian School– we had 6-year old children riding around on tricycles in the warehouse, eager to be given a bandage or a bag of diapers from people sorting medical supplies and they’d zoom to place their item in [...]

2018-01-06T13:34:21+00:00

MAWA WAS BORN HIV+

Mawa is a 7 year-old girl living in Mombasa, Kenya.  She was born HIV+ and was taken to the Community Based Health Care (CBHC) facilities for care at a very young age.  There, she has received life-saving medicine and her prognosis is great!  She attends school and is involved in youth programs at the Health Care clinic, where she is counseled on taking her medicine even if she is feeling well and where she gets a chance to play with other HIV+ children with no fear of stigma. While visiting CBHC this year, I looked for Mawa at her school to see how she’s faring.  There, I was told that [...]

2018-01-08T05:11:32+00:00

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING CHARITABLE DONATIONS

Real Simple recently published an article about What to Consider When Making Charitable Donations. The author, Bonnie Tsui, mentions five points to consider as you vet charities during this season of giving: Make sure that you understand the charity’s mission Verify the group’s nonprofit status Inquire about the charity’s spending ratio Look for accountability and transparency practices Ask about results At The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA), we decided to make it simple for you by sharing what AFCA does in each of these areas. Our Mission: AFCA is a non-profit organization providing critical support to infected and affected HIV+ children and their caregivers. Since 2005, in collaboration [...]

2017-11-21T12:10:13+00:00

SHOP LYNCH CREEK FOR HOLIDAY TRIMMINGS IN SUPPORT OF AFCA!

We're so excited to partner with Lynch Creek Farm during the 2016 holiday season to sell some of the freshest, most unique and highest quality wreaths and Christmas trimmings to make your holidays all the more special. Not only will Lynch Creek delight you with their unique offerings, but they will also donate 20% to support the American Foundation for Children with AIDs. So this season, when you deck the halls, please consider purchasing holiday decor from Lynch Creek so that our kids can benefit from your purchase. Each wreath, yule log or centerpiece you purchase 20% of the funds will go to providing clean water, necessary, life saving medication [...]

2017-11-21T12:07:42+00:00

EQUIPPING A SCHOOL IN KENYA

Sanitary conditions for the small school in Miwani, Kenya were not sufficient or decent.  With that in mind, MacKeeper and AFCA have partnered to replace the old tin latrine with four good, solid latrines to which will serve the children and staff who attend the school.  Hygiene lessons will be taught so that children understand the need to wash hands after using the facilities and tippy-tap style washing units will be set up around the school grounds so that children have plenty of opportunities to wash their hands. Read more about this effort here.

2017-11-21T12:05:21+00:00

SERVING OTHERS

Bob Kelly from Lebanon Valley College has joined AFCA on two different occasions, helping at schools, an orphanage, and various community areas. Check out the article regarding his trips and what he did in Zimbabwe while participating in a Vacation with a Purpose trip.  We value volunteers like Bob and encourage anyone who wants to do something worthwhile with their vacation time to join us.   READ BOB'S ARTICLE.   Don’t think you have the skills to volunteer?  Not true!  We love it when seamstresses, carpenters, administrators, teachers, parents, electricians, painters, plumbers, businessmen and women, and masons join us, for sure!  But, we also love hosting people who simply love [...]

2017-11-21T12:00:08+00:00

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