Become A Help In Someone's Recovery from Addiction

There are few health conditions that feel as pressing, urgent, and concerning as learning that a loved one is dealing with addiction. It’s a scary topic to broach, and most people can feel nervous that they might do more harm than good in trying to help. However, the truth is that there is a lot that you can do and, sometimes, being the helping hand a loved one needs can offer them the strength to begin the road to recovery.

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Talk to Them About Your Concerns

The first step in helping a loved one recover from addiction is to have an open and honest conversation about your concerns. Approach the conversation with empathy and understanding, avoiding blame or judgment. Express your observations about their behavior and how it has affected you and others around them. It’s important to listen to their perspective and let them open up as well, as this can provide valuable insights into their struggles and what might be driving their addiction. The goal of this conversation is to show that you care and are willing to support them in seeking help.

Help Them Find Help

Once your loved one acknowledges their addiction, the next step is to help them find the appropriate help. This could involve researching rehab facilities, support groups, or therapy options that suit their specific needs. Rehab is often a necessary step for those struggling with severe addiction, as it offers a structured environment where they can receive comprehensive care. You can assist in finding a reputable program and even help with logistics, such as arranging consultations or accompanying them to appointments. Your involvement can make the daunting task of seeking help feel more manageable and less isolating.

Provide Support to Help Them Back on Track

Supporting a loved one in recovery is an ongoing process that extends beyond the initial decision to seek help. During and after rehab, your role as a supportive figure is crucial in helping them stay on track. This might involve attending family therapy sessions, helping them develop new routines, and encouraging them to stick to their treatment plan. It’s also important to celebrate their successes, no matter how small, to reinforce positive behavior. Your consistent support can help them rebuild their life and maintain their sobriety over the long term.

Protect Yourself While Helping

While supporting a loved one through addiction recovery, it’s essential to protect your own well-being. Addiction can place a significant emotional and sometimes financial burden on those close to the person struggling. Setting boundaries is key to ensuring that you do not enable their addiction or sacrifice your own health. Make sure to seek support for yourself, whether through therapy, support groups, or close friends, to help you cope with the stress of the situation. By taking care of yourself, you are better equipped to provide the steady, positive support that your loved one needs during their recovery journey.

You cannot be the one to “heal” your loved one’s addiction. It’s something that they have to participate in, too. However, you can help with the tips above.

How Small Businesses Give Support After a Calamity or Disaster

In the aftermath of a disaster, small businesses are often the first to step up and offer support. For example, they may provide food, shelter, or other essential services, such as rebuilding homes for those who have been affected. Small businesses are also critical in helping communities rebuild after a calamity. This blog post will explore the important role that your small business can play in supporting after a disaster and also discuss the various ways your small business can help, highlighting some examples of successful initiatives.

1) Monetary Donations:

Many small businesses choose to give monetary donations to organizations helping those affected by a disaster. These funds may be used for food, shelter, relief supplies, and even medical aid. This is an important way for your small business to support the community in its time of need. In addition, it demonstrates your commitment to those affected and can build goodwill for your business.

2) Business Continuity:

In some cases, disasters may cause long-term damage or disruption to local businesses. In this case, your small business can provide continuity by offering services such as providing transportation and communication links between communities affected by the disaster. By doing so, your small business can help maintain essential services and provide a lifeline to those affected.

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3) In-Kind Donations:

In addition to monetary donations, many small businesses decide to provide in-kind donations such as clothing and other essentials. Furthermore, small businesses can also offer their services, such as repairs or reconstruction work, at discounted rates, for example, assisting on https://www.stikwood.com/blog/how-to-install-wood-ceiling-planks with the installation of wood ceiling planks or providing skilled labor such as construction workers, electricians, plumbers or other professions. This is a great way to help people who may not be able to afford it otherwise and that lost everything.

4) Volunteerism:

The power of volunteering can make a huge difference for those affected by a disaster. Many small businesses choose to organize groups of volunteers that can assist in relief efforts, such as setting up shelters, providing meals, and helping with clean-up operations. By volunteering your time and resources, you are making an invaluable contribution to the recovery effort.

5) Fundraising Efforts:

Fundraising campaigns are another way that small businesses can give support after a disaster. These campaigns can be held both online and offline, and they help generate the funds needed for relief efforts. Examples of successful fundraising campaigns include GoFundMe and local benefit concerts.

In conclusion, by supporting those affected by a disaster, small businesses play an important role in helping communities rebuild after a calamity. In addition to providing monetary and in-kind donations, volunteering resources, and organizing fundraising campaigns, there are many other ways that your small business can help. For example, you can offer free consultations or mentoring services for those affected by the disaster. Whatever way you choose to contribute, remember that your efforts will significantly impact the lives of others who have been devastated by a natural disaster.

How Can Small Businesses Contribute to the Community?

 

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Starting a small business can be a lot of fun, especially if you find a way to turn your hobby into a business and enjoy all the benefits that come with that. As your company grows, however, you will become a more important part of the community. With this, there are expectations you may need to meet. With the holiday season approaching, you may need to consider how your small business can contribute to the community and which options are available to you. 

Donate to Causes 

The most obvious way you can contribute to the community and others in need around the world is by donating to causes. There is a wide range of online giving options available, and you can seek out a cause that matters most to you. It is also possible to discuss with your employees to find out what matters most to them. Taking a vote or deciding which cause is most important can help you help others in more ways than you might expect. There should be several local causes for you to donate to, so don’t be afraid to take a trip around the community to speak to people and see what matters to them. 

Volunteer Your Time 

You can also give back to the community by giving up your time to help others. No matter where you live, there will be charitable causes and organizations looking for an extra pair of hands. You can speak to these organizations and see when is the best time for you and your team to drop by. They may be happy to take you whenever you’re free, or you can take an afternoon or evening to stop by and meet those in need. With the chance to help at soup kitchens, mentor, or start a community garden, the possibilities are endless. 

Support New Businesses 

You may remember when you launched your business and how established companies were there to offer advice and collaboration to help you spread the word. After all, a thriving local commerce scene is good for everybody, and there’s no room for sneaky competitiveness. Now your business has become more established, you get the chance to pass on the same support. If there are any newly launched businesses in the area, stop by and offer a helping hand to help them boost their profits. 

Learn More About What People Need 

You won’t be able to help the community unless you understand what people need. Every community has different requirements, whether it’s helping people get back on their feet or cleaning up the local green spaces to make them safer and more pleasant. Knowing what you need to do will help you focus better and ensure any charitable giving or action is successful. 

Giving Back 

Giving back to your community is a great way to help others, but it can also help your business boost its reputation and make it more noticeable. You can even make it a yearly occurrence and establish a company program that ensures everyone in need receives the help they need, with your business leading the way. 

7 Ways to Be Helpful in Your Community

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Are you looking for ways to be more involved and give back? If so, then you have come to the right place. In this blog post, we will discuss seven ways that you can be helpful in your community. So whether you are looking for volunteer opportunities or ways to help out regularly, we have something for everyone!

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Donate Blood If Your Are Able

One of the best ways to help your community is by donating blood. This is a great way to give back because it can potentially save someone’s life. Unfortunately, not everyone can donate blood, but if you are eligible, then it is something to consider. You can check with your local hospitals or blood banks to see where you can donate.

Donate to a local charity

Your blood is not the only thing you can donate. You can also spare some money, clothes, or other resources for a local charity foundation with a cause you believe in. Thankfully, there are many options to pick from, but take the time to ensure that you choose a cause that aligns with your beliefs. Even if you cannot physically locate a charitable organization where you live, you can always go online. For example, the Belinda Stronach foundation prioritizes social change and individual empowerment within the community. They are all about confronting change and creating opportunities in marginalized communities.

Volunteer Your Time

Another great way to help out your community is by volunteering your time. Many organisations are always in need of volunteers. You can look online or contact your local United Way to find volunteer opportunities in your area.

One of the best things about volunteering is choosing an opportunity that fits your interests and schedule. So whether you have a few hours a week or a few days, there is sure to be something that you can do to help out.

Visit and Assist at Nursing Homes

Visiting and assisting nursing homes is a great way to give back to your community. The elderly often need assistance with everyday tasks and activities. By visiting and helping out at a nursing home, you can brighten someone’s day and make a real difference in their life.

 Do Fundraising and Find Sponsors for Local Schools

Another way to help out your community is by fundraising or finding sponsors for local schools and organisations. This is a great way to give back because it can help these organisations with much-needed funding. There are many different ways that you can fundraise, so you can choose an option that best suits your talents and interests. Many schools need extra funding. For example, new classroom furniture can significantly help teachers and students.

Help Your Local Food Pantry

One final way to help your community is by supporting your local food pantry. Food pantries always need donations, so this is a great way to give back. You can donate food, time, or money to your local food pantry. This is a great way to ensure that everyone in your community has access to food.

Support Local Businesses

You can also help out your community by supporting local businesses. This is a great way to boost the economy and keep jobs in your area. In addition, when you shop at local businesses, you are helping to ensure they can stay open and continue providing products and services to the community.

Be a Good Neighbour

Last but not least, you can help out your community simply by being a good neighbour. This means being friendly and helpful to those who live near you. You can do things like offer to help them with yard work or watch their children while they run errands. Something as simple as a kind word can make a big difference in someone’s day.

These are just a few of the many ways that you can be helpful in your community. Small things can mean big things to others. By taking the time to give back, you can make a real difference in the lives of others.

How Frontliner Moms Get by Every day and How We Can Help

Each of us is struggling in this pandemic. Some are battling poor mental health, difficulties in online classes, work-from-home demands, family issues, or others. But the medical frontliners, especially the moms, could have it the worst. 

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Your hardships aren't invalidated, of course. Each of us goes through things differently, but the fact that frontliners work the hardest during this time is undeniable. They've been sacrificing the comforts of home for months now. Their well-being is also affected due to continuously rising cases and deaths.

Frontliners themselves come up with ways to uplift each other and their patients. Various organizations in different countries also make donations to them or visit them personally to increase their morale.

But while these actions are comforting to frontliners, they may only offer short-term joy. The things that'll benefit them more are increased support from their employers, a compassionate government, and cooperative citizens.

That said, let's see what can be done for frontliners to receive those urgent needs.

Support From Employers

Since classes are already beginning, one of the most urgent needs of frontliner moms is child care support. What employers can do is to reach out to public officials and ask for plans on long-term child care support.

Even if schools are only held virtually, young children will still need the guidance of their parents. They're too young to manage on their own yet. To address this, health care employers, together with appropriate organizations, can collaborate with the local government that can then partner with a local school district to open some classrooms for affected children, for example. And as it goes without saying, the schools should also develop plans to prevent viral infections.

Employers should also get feedback from their workers. They can only find out their exact needs by hearing it from them. A data collection survey software can help them do this, provided that they follow up each cited issue with action.

Allowing flexible work schedules is also immensely helpful, particularly to cleaners, security officers, and some nurses. Also, employers and employees must strive to achieve better work-life harmony. The higher-ups should understand the challenges faced by their frontliners better, then optimize work processes and improve their welfare.

And though giving excessive workloads tends to be inevitable these days, employers still have to be mindful about it. They must respect their frontliners' rest hours and day-offs.

How Frontliner Moms are Getting By

Every frontliner mother faces a different challenge. Some are lucky to be helped by their spouses in caring for their kids. Others have to sacrifice even more sleep to nurse their infant child.

But a struggle that all moms can relate to is the "mom guilt." They tend to feel remorseful while they're at work and their kids are staying at home. But according to physician moms, vigilance and preparation are essential to their jobs of being a mother and frontliner. Dr. Courtney Howard, a Canadian emergency doctor, is always ready to take action, even while facing a sense of impending doom.

It's saddening that a cure to COVID-19 is yet to be administered, so the least we can do while waiting for it is to cooperate with the health protocols and heed the plea of frontliners. The faster we flatten the curve, the sooner the moms can be reunited with their children. And of course, employers should regularly check in with their employees and immediately address their concerns.

How Should You Give Back to the World?

We’re encouraged, in this society of ours, to look out for only one person -- ourselves. But just because that’s the mindset that’s presented to us, that doesn’t mean we should take it. Indeed, we’ll likely be happier, and the world a better place, if we take that mentality only so far. While it’s good to think about yourself a little, it’s also important to think about how you can contribute toward making the world a better place. You’ve benefited from the work of others before you -- it’s up to you to also do something for others. But how can you do this? We take a look at four ways below. 

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Be The Change

There are plenty of people who have a lot of ideas about all that’s wrong with the world. They know exactly what needs to be done for the world to be better, if only everyone else would start taking their suggestions on board! The problem here, however, is that often the people giving the advice are not taking it themselves. If you want to change the world, first change yourself -- it’s much better to say, be kinder to those less fortunate than yourself, rather than tell other people to be so.

Volunteering Your Time

Our lives can be pretty jam-packed, especially in this day and age, when we’re working longer hours, have longer commutes, spend more time than necessary on the internet, and so on. However, as full as the diary might seem, there is always space for an hour or two for volunteering. It can be something as simple as picking up trash from the beach, or serving hot drinks at a shelter. It doesn’t matter -- you’ll be doing something that is undoubtedly positive, for the sake of people other than you and your family, and will make you feel good. 

Through Your Work

We tend to think of jobs where we have to just think about ourselves, work hard, make sure we get a promotion about other people, and things like that, but it’s not always the case. There are jobs that inherently make a positive impact on the world, such as healthcare and educational positions. Nursing, for example, is a job that exists to improve the lives of others; and if you study for an online masters degree in nursing, you can have an even bigger impact, as you’ll be able to transform nursing for the better. If you want to give back to the world in a less hands-on way, you can do so by becoming an environmental engineer, a position that helps to alleviate the problems caused by climate-related changes.  

Financial Support

There are plenty of people who want to do more to give back to the world, but who really can’t -- they just don’t have the time, and they’re so entrenched in their work that they can’t retrain for another position. If you’re in this position, then look up charities and organizations that do the most good, and make a recurring donation. They’ll do good on your behalf! 

Go Green With Your Cleaning Routine

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The home deep clean is something we all have to endure at some point each month, but even just a good old-fashioned regular cleaning job can leave you feeling woozy and lightheaded. Here’s where the plot thickens, this isn’t because you were overexerting yourself. That’s right. It’s got less to do with elbow grease and more to do with cleaning products. Mmmmm hmmm, it’s all about the chemicals inside that bottle. Bad, huh?

Sure, these products may be designed to make your life easier, but the harmful chemicals they chuck in them could be making your life shorter. That’s where we step in because we want people to know that there is a way to go green with your cleaning routine, while also allowing you to achieve exactly the same results of glistening awesomeness. Better for the environment, better for your health and nicer smelling - what more could a domestic goddess need? 

For those of you that aren’t crazy-scientific-let’s-mix-everyday-products-and-make-some-magic kind of people, then we recommend you visit CleanHappens.com and make the switch to cleaning products that can cut through grime, grease and dirt without compromising on safety. However, if you are excited by the prospect of unleashing your inner high school chemical student, then you really need to check out these super cleaners that are delivering on the eco-friendly side of things, as well as being epically effective. Double. Whammy. 

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Baking Soda Is The Best

There are tons of different sodas that are great at doing different things. You’ve got bicarbonate soda that you can clean silver and rust with, washing soda that is ace at removing stains and descaling appliances, and club soda that is equally talented on the stain removal front (especially from organic products). However, our favourite is baking soda because it is insane when it comes to cleaning, as this list by allyou.com will confirm. Pour some down a drain, add an equal amount of vinegar and then just watch as they react, creating a gorgeous foam that cleans drains and leaves them smelling impossibly better. If you’ve got kids then this is one that you really want them to watch. It proves science is the best. 

A Sexy Little Thing Called Salt

Every household from here to Timbuktu has salt hidden away in one of the cupboards. What you may not realise, though, is that this salt can be used to clean, disinfect and deodorize a bunch of different parts of your home. Add salt and lemon juice together and you can battle back any rust. Turn it into a paste and you can clean your pots and pans, even the ones that you have managed to burn some stuff onto. Add salt to vinegar and flour and you will be able to shine up almost anything from stainless steel to pewter, gold to silver. That’s not all, either. You can also use salt to keep your other cleaning bits and bobs (read: sponges) germ-free and stench-free by simply leaving them to soak when not in use. 

Vinegar Is Very, Very Good

We’ve mentioned vinegar a couple of times already, which is a testament to its powers as an accomplice. But that isn’t all. Oh no. This little household gem is a diamond in the rough because it is an all-rounder up there with the likes of Freddie Flintoff. Its secret weapon is its ability to cut through grease like a hot machete through butter. How you go about applying it is up to you, though. You could put it in a spray bottle - half and half with water - and then use it to clean mirrors, glass, windows or anything else that falls within that bell curve. You can use it on wood flooring to spruce up a bit or use it on food containers to disinfect. The winner of all winners though is using it to clean your shower heads and faucets. All that rust and stubborn mold will fall away like people leaving a concert. In short, vinegar is that gentle giant that could transform the way you cleaning - gentle for the home and tough on the areas you need to clean. It’s a win-win. 

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When Life Gives You Lemons

When life gives you lemons, forget about lemonade for a second and use this wondrous fruit to eliminate smells, clean surfaces and polish items. That’s right, this gorgeous, yellow beauty can do more than just make your face scrunch up. There isn’t too much to delve into, but it is great at eliminating grease, killing nasty little germs and leaving your place smelling fresher. Like a summer orchard in the south of Spain. 

Olive Oil Is The Original Polisher

If you don’t have olive oil in your cupboards then who even are you? It is a must have for delicious cooking, and even a little bit of beauty work. But, more appropriately to our blog, it is also great for home cleaning. Mmmm hmmm. The best way to use it is for polishing things. Wood, metals, anything really. The point is it will bring up a nice shine that you can’t ignore or hate on. The other thing it is great for is leather. So if you have any leather products that are cracked a bit, worn a lot or just looking a tad dry then it is time to slap some olive oil on. It is also great for removing chewing gum, which could address an issue you are currently facing with your teenager, or it could make buying secondhand furniture a lot easier, who knows? Just make sure you add a little squeeze of lemon so that you get a nice aroma going. 

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Vodka Is Vital For A Lot Of Things

The Russians have been telling us that vodka is invaluable for centuries. But would we listen? No. Well, we recently decided to and, guess what, we’re kicking ourselves slightly. It is amazing, especially when it comes to removing stains and odors from your laundry. Seriously. It will get rid of all those odors that no amount of washes seems to be able to cure. It is also great for polishing glass, and it does so without leaving any streaks, which is what we’ve always wanted. You can also polish metals and even porcelain too, as well as the stresses in your mind by just dropping an olive in and sipping on it frequently. Soon enough you’ll forget you had any cleaning to do whatsoever, which is a total bonus. 

Super-Soap To The Rescue

So long as you choose a natural soap, the kind that is made from oils or fats (yup, just like in Fight Club) with an added dash of alkali, then you will be able to break down all those nasty, dirty greases that seem to be taking over your home. That’s its biggest superpower: it can be used on pretty much every surface in every room of your home - kitchen through to bedroom, office and bathroom. Even more epic is the fact it comes in a plethora of different forms. We’re talking powders, liquids, flakes and, every shower’s favourite, bars. 

Hydrogen Peroxide Isn’t Just Hype

The reason why people tend to use hydrogen peroxide is that it is a safe alternative for bleach (which is something that comes with a whole host of health concerns). As for what to use hydrogen peroxide on, you can use it to deal with stains, mold, mildew and anything else of this ilk. The other thing it is used for is cleaning kitchens and bathrooms - but mainly kitchens - simply because it crushes germs and bacteria - especially that nasty sucker, Salmonella - quicker than life crushes dreams (joking!). It is basically an antiseptic cleaner that doesn’t have any of the harsh chemicals you are clearly worried about or else you wouldn’t be reading this blog. 

And that is pretty much it. 

Now whether or not you use all, some or none of these natural cleaning products is your prerogative, as Britney would say. The important thing to understand is that you don’t have to worry about your kid's health and safety, your pet’s allergies, or about pulling on a pair of elbow high yellow gloves, or wearing science-lab goggles out of fear of what the chemicals may do to your lifespan. Instead, you can clean every inch of your home using things you already have in your cupboards; things that will do a grand job and leave a great smell too. Vinegar. Salt. Lemon. Olive oil. Baking soda. Vodka. Each of these is epic at cleaning, disinfecting and deodorizing. But beyond that, they are also great for the environment and even better for your wallet. Oh, yeah, we haven’t mentioned that. Well, not to beat around the metaphorical bush, these things cost cents, not dollars (except Vodka, maybe), which means you will have more money to spend on the finer things in life. 

We do hope we’ve piqued your curiosity enough to see you give it a go, and we would really love for you to send some pics in to prove they are amazing alternatives. 

Rise Up Tacloban with Hack the Climate Cleantech-Loban Event

In the commemoration of the 3rd anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan, Hack the Climate will stage its first ever Clean Technology Hackathon and Training happening in Palo, Leyte and Tacloban City. It is part of the 8th NICP ICT Summit 2016, in partnership with the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), DOST Region 8, Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus, Seed4com, Move.ph, Millenia Suites, ThinkLab and Unionbank of the Philippines. 

Hack the Climate is a climate change themed Hackathon that is formed out of the desire of a two Princeton University College Students, named Michael Lanchanski and Jacob Scheer to help the Philippines in their battle for climate change through Technology and Innovation.  With the help of their Filipino counterparts, Elaine Cedillo, Diego Jose Ramos and Rizzel Jill Dy, Hack the Climate was born in June 2013.

“Hack the Climate in Leyte is our 5th since we started and we hope that we can bring this project across the country” said Elaine Cedillo, the lead project coordinator for this leg.  “Hack the Climate is more than just a hackathon, it is our advocacy. Educating the students and young professionals about the adverse effects of climate change while challenging the developers to create a solution for climate change adaptation or mitigation, and through that, the participants are empowered to do something to help our environment,” she added 

THE CLEAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS AND THE HACKATHON 

This year’s Hackathon is dubbed as “Hack the Climate Cleantech-Loban” and it will be a three-part event. They will be launching their first solar e-Learning facility for Alternative Learning System and a Solar Night Lamp assembly livelihood training program for the out-of-the school youth and partner NGO’s, plus a conference – hackathon about Climate Change Mitigation and CleanTech.

Philippine Toy Library located at Palo District 1, Barugo, Leyte with more than 100 learners and at Pambujan, Samar with more than 90 learners will be the beneficiaries of an e-Learning set-up consisting of laptops from Huawei Philippines powered by solar panels which will be donated by Unionbank of the Philippines through their Go Beyond CSR.  The Solar Night Lamp that will be produced during the training will be donated to a fishing community in and around Tacloban. 

The hackathon, a coding marathon, happening on November 9-10, 2016 at Philippine Science High School in Palo, Leyte, involves a specific theme where participants will be creating web or mobile applications, or hardware solutions.The conference happening simultaneously with the hackathon features speakers to educate and enlighten the audience to what is happening with our environment and how it affects each and every one of us, and different technologies which can be used to help in creating solutions.

Clean Techloban is supported by the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation, Inc. and the OML Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc. and organized by Redwizard Events Management. 

For more information you may log on to :  

http://hacktheclimate.com/ 

or like their Facebook page : 

https://www.facebook.com/HackTheClimate