Emily Holling

My fiends and I want to do somewhat of a Secret Santa and buy something and donate to some charities or organizations that help the less fortunate. The only thing is, some of my friends are not in my state. So, what are some good charities or organizations that are located in just about every state?

How about you help someone on kiva.org? These people are trying to improve their situation for themselves and their families in the 3rd World by starting small local projects and businesses. You can help them directly by lending them money, interest free. The risk is actually very low as about 95% of the money is paid back. When you get it back, you help someone else!

EDIT: Thanks for clearing that up, RoofingPrincess! Turns out Kiva doesn’t charge interest, but Kiva actually deals with microfinance partners on the field and these partners do charge various rates.

Just wanted to get some thoughts or ideas on how you would market a non profit organization that provides food and helps out school children. I am aware that children should eat breakfast every morning and a balanced meal is good for them as well. What are your thoughts or ideas?

Have the parents or faculty members of the schools to prepare at least one dish and bring it for the children to try. Make sure they are nutritious yet tasty. You can have them make a breakfast or lunch item. In addition some of them can make a dessert if you choose. Maybe you ask someone to donate some money for the dishes whatever they can afford anyone between $1.00 to $5.00. Even coins would help.

I am thinking of starting a charity project, but I want to bring attention to something that not many people know about or pay attention to. Do you have any ideas? Thank you so much!

battered women’s shelters. They are always in desperate need of things that we use everyday and don’t think about.. I stayed in 1 last year and it was hard to even locate basic items like toothbrushes and combs, makeup, baby wipes, diapers, shampoo etc. Even used clothing…socks are a big thing that goes fast.. Some women go to the shelter with nothing but the clothes on their back..that’s it. When I was staying there I was amazed at how quickly cheap things went like Kool Aid and Cookies and Bread, Cereal, etc. Things like tylenol and aspirin, cough and cold medicine and any type of children’s medicine id always needed.. things like toys and colors/coloring books,, easy but cheap things.

Those places do not charge a fee to live there and so everything is donated.

Not sure if that’s what you were looking for but that’s what came to mind cause I was in one last year that kept running short of those things especially cookies and Kool-Aid.

What advice can you give to someone who has no children and has a partner with three children to a previous relationship? How do you cope with them sharing time between you and their children? What do you do when their children turn up unexpectedly and you have already made plans?

my brother is a single dad w/ 2 kids so i know what your talking about. the it works with him- his kids come first. their mom gave up her parental rights and my bro hasn’t talked to her in 10 years. a girl made the mistake of telling him it was her or the kids…she moved out.

Can a single woman adopt a child from Russia or do they have to be married. I am interested in pursuing this in the next few years and would be greatful to know anything about the Russian adoption process, costs associated with it, how the adoption went, and how the child is adjusting to life in the US. Any information is welcome. Would love to hear espically from parents who have recently done international adoptions. Thanks so much!!!

Check out this website for information on adoptions from all sorts of countries. I know a family that is currently working with them to adopt a baby girl from China.

Copyright (c) 2009 Karen Friedman

About a year ago, a nasty Valentine’s Day storm grounded hundreds of flights across the country, delaying and stranding tens of thousands of passengers. While many waited it out in the comfort of heated airports outfitted with shops and internet access, hundreds of Jet Blue travelers including small children were trapped on planes at Kennedy airport with no food, overflowing toilets and little, if any information for more than ten hours. In fact, CNN reported that parents on these planes were ripping up tee shirts to make diapers for their babies.

While CEO David Neeleman said he was “humiliated and mortified” by the meltdown that eventually led to a passenger bill of rights, the pressing issue is how can organizations protect their reputation in an era of blogs, chat rooms and 24/7 news coverage that has the power to spread rumors at lightening speed and tarnish your reputation worldwide.

For starters, no matter how sophisticated your written crisis plan may be, it is not a one size fits all and cannot predict what people might feel in different situations– panic, anger, frustration, disbelief or fear. Handling an escalating situation is about doing the right thing which can be accomplished by asking two simple questions you will be hard pressed to find in a book.

1. What is the right thing to do? 2. If I were my listener, how would I feel?

To address those questions, think about the opportunity. Is there opportunity to inform people, protect them, contain panic or correct mis-information?

Regardless of how well prepared you think you are, you’re not. Events can easily spiral out of control and suddenly you find yourself in the role of crisis chief. The key is to help reporters tell your story so you clearly define the information and make the media your mouthpiece to the public. That means taking off your professional hat and putting on your personal cap so you think like your audience to better understand how the story will be covered, what questions will be asked and what you can do to manage the madness.

That’s why it’s important to understand where the story is. You are not the story. Stories are about victims, perceived victims or people who are affected by what’s happening which is why it’s so important to communicate. Even if you have nothing to say, say something. For example, I remember covering a fire that left hundreds of elderly people homeless in the cold night air. The landlord did everything right including providing free food and shelter at other locations, but it was never reported. When he asked me why the media ignored that part of the story, I explained we didn’t know about it. He said that’s because company lawyers told them not to talk.

TALK EARLY AND OFTEN The media will report the story with or without you. But in the absence of information, they will fill it with what’s available which can result in inaccuracies. Furthermore, the story will likely be reported from the victim’s standpoint which can create the perception that the company is uncaring or guilty of wrongdoing.

BE AVAILABLE When respected journalist Mike Wallace of “60 Minutes” was asked what he would do if he were at a company that got a call from his news show, he said “If I were running a company that got a call from ‘60 Minutes,’ I’d say come in. Ask me anything you want.” While you can’t give journalists unescorted access to your business, Wallace’s message is dead on. If you get a phone call, return it. If you’re asked a question, answer it. If you’re not available, provide someone who can meet a reporter’s deadline. If you receive an e-mail, respond. By being available, you create an environment of openness and honesty.

MANAGE THE MESSAGE By being proactive, you also make the reporter’s job easier by helping them report correct information quickly so they don’t have to spend hours trying to track you down. But it’s also critical to manage your message which means rather than just responding to questions, determine what you want to say in advance and look for opportunities to weave those messages into your responses. Additionally, it’s important to keep other audiences including employees, vendors, and stakeholders in the loop so they hear the news from you directly.

TALK, DON’T WRITE It may be easier to e-mail than to pick up the phone, but e-mail can be impersonal and create the impression that you are hiding something by not permitting questions. Even if you fear being misquoted, most reporters can detect sincerity, empathy, compassion or a level of concern when they hear your voice. And by all means, try not to ask reporters to provide lists of questions in advance especially when a story is unfolding. What they want to know won’t change that much from story to story: – What happened? – When did it happen? – How did it happen? – How many people are affected? – Was anyone hurt? – What are you doing to correct the problem? – How will you prevent it in the future?

STATE THE OBVIOUS Even if a reporter has written about your business before, don’t assume they understand your issues this time around. If you want them to know something, tell them. Reporters are often sent to stories because they’re available or nearby. On the way, they might gather information from other news reports or sources. And don’t kid yourself; reporters from competing newsrooms will share information with each other at the scene of a story. It’s up to you to make sure they understand what you’re saying.

WHEN TO CORRECT MISTAKES If the reporter has made a significant mistake, call and correct it so it isn’t repeated every time a story is printed or broadcast. However, there is a difference between correcting information that might impact the public and calling to complain just because you don’t like the tone of the story. Think about other ways to turn a negative report into something more positive. For example, recently a reporter aired a scathing report about broken security cameras at one of this country’s busiest airports. The report was loaded with inaccuracies, but did not threaten public safety. Instead of complaining, public relations experts called the number one local television station in town and offered them an exclusive behind the scenes look at airport security. It was a positive story watched by a much larger audience.

Finally, if you don’t know the answer, say so and stop talking. The only person that should be putting words in your mouth is you!

Karen Friedman
http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/becoming-a-crisis-manager-whether-you-want-to-or-not-723082.html

Start a New Life for Your Teen this New Year. 

Whether you are a billionaire, a thousandaire or a widow with only one mite, when you are buried in basic needs, you are not living a very rich life.  The trouble is: how do you escape the rut of basic needs when most of your income is eaten up by housing and transportation and you’re always running out of money before the end of the month!

Since we’re not taught how to budget in high school or college, it really is up to you to teach your kids how to thrive, instead of merely surviving. Most people pay bills and then try to scrape a life together on what’s left over.  This recipe for the rich life has you savoring life first — before you pay the bills!

Let’s say that your teen’s allowance is $100 a month . . .

The Thrive Budget:  50% to thrive and 50% to survive

10% (or $10) Buy My Own Island fund
10% (or $10) Charity
10% (or $10) Education fund
10% (or $10) Fun, Immediate
10% (or $10) Fun, Big Ticket
50% (or $50) Basic Needs

With electronic banking, this should be fun and easy to do each month!   Essentially, you set it up once and then everything happens automatically. 

1. Buy My Own Island fund: Set up a minor’s Individual Retirement Account through your brokerage.  This should be the first auto-deposit every month — money that earns money while you sleep!  The habit of investing is what’s important to establish first.  If you don’t know which stocks or funds to buy, just use a Treasury bill ETF for now.  (PowerShares.com has one.)
2. Charity: Have your teenagers write a check to their favorite charity and pop it in the mail!  (Let it be their choice, not yours.)
3. Education fund: College savings plans, aka 529 plans, are a great way to save up for college and the contribution should be tax deductible.
4. Fun, Immediate: CASH!!  Whether it’s a movie or ice cream, when the cash runs out, the fun must become free — like picnics, like board games, like spin the bottle (just kidding).
5. Fun, Big Ticket: Most bank accounts have a savings account attached these days.  Let that be where your teen saves up for the new iPod or even a car!
6. Basic Needs: Standard Bank Account.  The key here is to have 50% spent on thriving first — before basic needs — so that the focus is on living a rich life, instead of struggling to survive.  Now, your teen has 50% of the $100, or only $50 to spend on basic needs.  Your teen won’t have to worry about food, housing and insurance yet, but why not let them buy their own shampoo, after school snacks, gas, clothes, etc?

The Thrive Budget is a great way to teach your kids healthy money habits, where the focus is on building a better life, rather than just paying bills.
These budgeting strategies are explained in greater detail in Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, my new book!  Buy it now on Amazon.com, or in your favorite book store or website!

Ask Natalie: The Thrive Plan sounds great, but my teen is already complaining that s/he’d rather have fun than give to charity.  What do I tell her?

What we’re doing with the Thrive budget is teaching the average person exactly what it takes to live like a billionaire.  Billionaires, like Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Computer, understand the flow of money.  They sleep on couches to launch their dream businesses.  They sit on non-profit boards to meet the great minds and deep wallets who will invest in their dreams.  They never overspend on basic needs or fleeting fantasies. So, tell your teen that this is Billionaire Boot Camp!  S/he’s never going to get rich by burning through her dough and/or blowing her charitable contributions on movies.   

If s/he wants more money for fun, there is one easy way to do that while remaining in the dream come true life budget — increase income.  If her basic needs are out of whack — which is easy to do with high gas prices — there’s a solution for that — get creative!

My teenage son discovered that he was spending over $50 a week on gas going to work and college.  The second week, he bought a bike and pedaled around town for free.  That was an instant reduction in basic needs!  Get creative.  Carpool.  Take public transportation.  Buy a hybrid or an electric car.  Ride a bike. 

The best solution to a surly teen, however, is to start these money habits earlier.   Teens are so busy trying to buy more freedom from you that they’ll forget to attack the family traditions that have been ingrained since elementary school. 

©2008 Natalie Pace

Author Bio
Natalie Pace, author of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (Published by Vanguard Press; 978-159315-491-2), is adding a splash of green to Wall Street and transforming lives on Main Street. She is the founder and CEO of one of the most respected independently owned financial news organizations in the world. She has been ranked as a #1 stock picker from TipsTraders.com and has partnered with Forbes.com. She has repeat guest appearances on Fox News, Good Morning America, Time Magazine, More Magazine, USA Today, NPR and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. She currently lives in Southern California.

Natalie Pace
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/teaching-your-teens-to-thrive-712661.html

Your EMR / EHR – Does it have to be CCHIT certified?

What is CCHIT?

CCHIT or Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology was founded in 2004 by three industry associations (HIMSS, AHIMA and the Alliance) and is an independent non-profit private sector initiative that certifies EMR / EHR software (used interchangeably in this article) solutions based on a specified set of parameters. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of robust, interoperable health information technology by creating a credible and efficient product certification process.

The purpose behind CCHIT

There are hundreds of EMR software solutions on the market, each differing in feature functionality, and it is easy for providers to get lost in the cacophony of vendors especially, considering that Providers are not IT experts and often find it difficult to properly assess and select an EMR solution that will best meet their current and foreseeable needs.  CCHIT certification was intended to reduce the risks of physician investment in EMR / EHR products, while achieving the following:

a. Facilitate interoperability of EMR products with the emerging national health information network, sometimes called RHIOs
b. Enhance availability of EMR adoption incentives
c. Ensure that EMR products protect the privacy of personal health information

EHR / EMR Certification Criteria

The main category of certification deals with products designed to be used in physician offices and clinics and commonly referred to as Ambulatory EMR.  CCHIT certified EMR products were required to demonstrate compliance with 116 criteria in 2006. Another 96 criteria were added in 2007 and in 2008, 19 new criteria were added to the certification requirements focusing on the following:

a. Additional electronic prescribing features including access to the patient’s medication history, formulary, and eligibility.
b. Better and safer medication dosing, adjusted for patient weight and other factors.
c. Better ability to prevent adverse reactions due to drug interactions or allergies.
d. Use of standard formats to exchange basic patient information for continuity of care.
e. Enhanced ability to view X-rays and other diagnostic images.
f. Better management of patient consents and authorizations.
g. Increased use of standard formats when receiving and storing laboratory results.

How much do vendors spend for certification?

The initial cost of certification is about $28,000, which provides a three-year certification. Vendors then pay an additional $4,800 in each of the second and third years to cover marketing and licensing fees. An EMR is certified for three years, but if a product is significantly reengineered or re-architected before the end of the three-year period, it must be recertified.  Minor updates usually do not need re-certification.

As of January 2009, certified EMRs include the following:

a. Ninety-two EMRs that have received certification under the 2006 Ambulatory EHR criteria (latest certifications made on 30th April 2007).
b. Fifty-five EMRs (including multiple versions of the same product by the same company) that have been certified under the 2007 criteria.
c. Fifteen EMRs that have been certified under the 2008 criteria. These include a number of products that have been further certified for Child Health and Cardiovascular Medicine.

Compare these numbers against the 300+ EMR / EHR solutions available on the market and it is clear that the smaller niche players, offering cost-effective products, have neither the time nor the financial resources to spend on certification and especially, on re-certification every time they make any significant updates. This certification process is stifling competitors in the free marketplace and will only lead to higher prices and in turn, negatively impact Physicians’ pocket books.

What does certification really fetch?

EMR is a long-term investment and providers must be careful in choosing the right solution. Most practices have very limited time and resources to evaluate every detail of every product of interest.

On the other hand, certification can help with the evaluation and selection process by narrowing down the initial set of solutions because CCHIT certification assures implementation of basic functionality. This should allow a Practice to focus more upon performing due diligence about a companies’ track records in meeting individual practice’s special needs, ease of use, implementation success, financial viability, and after-sales service and support, and financial stability of the EMR vendor.

The flip side to this approach, insisting on certification will potentially cut out a significant population of more powerful (a better mousetrap) solutions from smaller vendors, who cannot afford the certification costs. Just because a product is not certified does not necessarily mean that it will not meet the specific requirements of the Practice. At the same time, a Practice may not really need the 300+ features mandated and evaluated by CCHIT. The real question of the day is, do you need a Rolls Royce when a Toyota Corolla might serve the purpose?

What must a Practice do?

Rather than getting fixated on CCHIT certification, a Practice would do well to create a checklist of features that are important to it. This list should include:

1. Does it support the specific requirements of the specialty? (CCHIT acknowledges that its criteria may not be suitable for settings such as behavioral health, emergency departments, or specialty practices.)
2. Does it allow the Practice to share information electronically with other physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, radiology groups, and others? (from a technical viewpoint, any system that has HL7 interface, inbound and outbound, will be able to interoperate with other systems.
3. Does it enable you to measure and report the quality indicators, needed to satisfy payment incentive programs that are based on levels of performance?
4. Does the vendor have the reputation of providing outstanding customer support?
5. Are there any references of the same size practice, specialty, and type in the local market who can vouch for the ease of use of the selected product?
6. Does it help monitor potential adverse drug reactions?
7. Does the EMR interface with the Practice Management or Billing software? You should also find out if you need an integrated system with a common database.

These are only a few of the foundational questions, as there are many non-functional requirements that need to be addressed to ensure successful implementation of an EMR/EHR solution. These requirements are focused around people (commitment, volunteers, etc.), capital (cost, ROI, initial cost vs. annual costs), technology (server-based vs. ASP, tablets or laptops, etc.) and organization (stakeholders, selection and implementation leaders).

If all this seems too time consuming or overwhelming, the Practice must find a good independent EMR/EHR and Practice Management Solutions Firm who can assist in the initial needs assessment phase, vendor evaluation and selection process. These days you can find good Consultants who will do all of the up-front leg work for you at no cost to your practice. Therefore it would be wise to think twice before, employing a company wanting to charge hefty up-front retainers and steep per hour consulting fees ranging from $100 to $200 per hour.

Alok Prasad
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/how-important-is-cchit-certification-to-physicians-in-the-electronic-health-record-selection-process-747027.html

I have just been nominated as the President of my Sorority and in the Sorority we do a lot of philanthropy work. I can help raise a lot of money but im not sure who to help out. I would prefer to help out smaller organizations, ones that really need help. I have a big heart and want to do some good this year. Any suggestions?

http://www.aidingorphanages.com lists projects that need to be completed for orphans worldwide. You can choose the project that best suits you. The projects that need to completed are both big and small.

I want to start one that focuses on terminally-ill children at local hospitals. Is that even possible?

I’m just wondering.

How do you start a non-profit group in general?

Start at the IRS.
www.irs.gov.
click "charities and nonprofits"