Affinity4 Community Blog

Giving USA has been tracking America’s charitable giving amounts since 1987. Last year (2008) saw the largest drop in giving since that point in time, which was a 2% decrease overall. This 2% decrease may sound small, but it amounted to nearly 6.5 billion dollars! Although 2/3 of charities saw a decrease in donations, religious groups fared better than other organizations, accounting for 35% of total giving. As devastating as this statistic sounds, Americans are still the most giving people in the world. Charitable donations in the U.S. account for 2.2% of the GDP, and despite the decrease, last year’s donations still totaled over $300 billion dollars.

Although there are some signs that the economy is beginning to turn around, there is still fear that charitable giving could decline even further in 2009, and take another 1-2 years to recover to pre-2008 levels. At the same time charities are dealing with declines in their revenue, they are also dealing with a higher demand for their services. Over 50% of charities reported an increase in the need for their services in 2008.

Although this is discouraging news, there are ways that you can support your favorite charity in these difficult times. If you can’t afford to make a donation right now, consider helping your favorite cause in other ways. You can support your favorite charity through an Affinity4 purchase, by donating your time, or by donating food or supplies you may have around your home. Despite the current economic situation, I have faith that Americans will continue to support charitable causes and remain some of the most giving people in the world. Thank you to all of our customers that through Affinity4, are helping their favorite charities survive these tough economic times!

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Father’s Day was first celebrated in America one hundred years ago and was made an official U.S. holiday in 1966. Today, there are over 64 million fathers in the U.S. and Father’s Day is celebrated here as well as in 52 other countries worldwide.
We all know that fathers hold a special place in a child’s life. Some fathers are involved with coaching sports teams and outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and camping. Other dads enjoy helping children learn new skills like fixing up bikes or cars or building bird houses. As adults we look back on those special memories with our dads growing up and are so grateful for all that they taught us.

This Sunday, take the time to recognize a father in your life, whether it’s your father, stepfather, the father of your children or a special father-figure who made a positive impact on your life. We hope that your Father’s Day is full of the love, laughter and joy found in celebrating old memories and creating new ones with your family. Happy Father’s Day!

“The father of one who is right with God will have much joy. He who has a wise son will be glad in him.” Proverbs 23:24

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This past weekend I participated in the CHKD RunWalk for the Kids in Norfolk. The event was an 8K, 2 Mile Walk, and a 1-Mile fun run & wheelchair race to benefit the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. CHKD is the only facility of its kind in Virginia, serving the surgical and medical needs of children throughout Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore of Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. The hospital provides care to nearly 250,000 children each year who are facing a range of routine and complex illnesses, injuries, and chronic conditions. Since childhood obesity is the number one public health issue facing children in our country today, the RunWalk for the Kids is designed to encourage exercise and healthy lifestyles in families and children.

I participated in the 8K run that took place around 7:45am this past Saturday. The turnout was overwhelming, backing up traffic to get into the parking garage, and even delaying the start time of the race! Over 900 runners participated in the 8K, with hundreds more participating in the walk and fun run. Participants were encouraged to raise money through a personalized website provided to you when you registered for the event, all of the funds raised will go to support CHKD and its special programs for children. There were all kinds of families doing the run together, along with moms and dads pushing their kids in strollers. The race path took us through the neighborhoods in West Ghent where families were sitting out on their front porches and lawns, cheering everybody on. It was so encouraging! I enjoy doing races to benefit worthy causes because it helps you to push yourself during the race. It was a great family event to benefit a wonderful cause. Events just like this happen almost every weekend all over the place. Getting involved not only helps raise money for the cause, but helps you stay active. I hope to find another one soon!

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Back in April I posted a blog about Carrie Prejean’s answer to a question in the Miss USA pageant. After stating her opinion that she believed that marriage should be between one man and one woman during the pageant, she became the subject of national controversy. After the initial controversy, some revealing pictures of her were released which caused additional controversy and the question of whether she could retain her position as Miss California. Despite being told less than a month ago by pageant owner Donald Trump that she would be able to keep her crown, Miss Prejean was fired yesterday. The Miss California USA organization stated that she was fired based on a breach of contract, which was not specified.

Many Americans now believe that the real reason that Miss Prejean was fired was due to her belief in traditional marriage. The National Organization for Marriage issued a statement in support of Miss Prejean, and Brian Brown, Executive Director of NOM stated “they are doing what they wanted to do from day one: Get rid of Carrie.” Many others feel that Miss Prejean has been attacked because of her beliefs and her willingness to be honest in her response.

In reaction to hearing that she had been fired, Miss Prejean issued a statement in which she said “I hope Americans watching this story unfold, take away the most important lesson I have learned through all of this: nothing is more important than standing up for what you believe in, no matter what the cost may be.”

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This past Thursday, we had our quarterly volunteering project at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. First Landing State Park is 2,888 acres, hosts 200 campsites and 20 cabins. A park that size was definitely a chore for the local park rangers to protect and preserve causing some needed tasks to hang by the wayside.

Our project was to build barriers to prevent unnecessary vehicle traffic from driving off road and destroying the natural vegetation of the woods. At least 20 of us at Affinity4 showed up to aid in this effort and we were split into three teams. Our first task was to gather all the materials and deliver them to the three locations where the barriers were to be built. Then, 2 feet holes were dug for the placement of the large wooden posts. These would serve as columns to support an even larger wooden post laid across horizontally. After all posts where cut and leveled, the horizontal posts were drilled in. These new barriers were sure to preserve the natural vegetation of the park.

Even the weather couldn’t stop us from getting the job done. Everything was going smoothly up until our last two barriers. The forecast predicted rain and thunder but that had yet to prove true until we were ready to wrap it up for the day. Luckily, two of the three teams combined their efforts to finish the barriers.

Everyone came out and had a great time but nothing was more satisfying than knowing our actions helped the local rangers, and more importantly the park’s natural environment.

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