Light Up the World

We’ve all had those days where nothing seems to go right. You wake up mid-REM cycle feeling exhausted. You stub your toe on the way to the bathroom. You can’t find your keys. You get stuck in traffic both ways. Out of nowhere, your boss drops a project on you to be completed yesterday. When you get a double-decker strawberry ice cream cone, the ice cream part falls off the cone part and lands in Australia.

While minor annoyances by themselves, when they happen one right after another, they can be overwhelming and ruin your day, week, or even holiday season. Then you factor in the undercurrent of uneasiness most people feel nowadays - layoffs and job insecurity, economic uncertainty with a potential recession looming, cultural/political/and societal divides seemingly omnipresent. It’s enough to put anyone in a dark place.

Now add to the mix a rare medical diagnosis shared by only a few individuals in the world, post-traumatic stress from serving overseas, or fighting every day to simply take care of yourself or a loved one during a medical crisis. Take your terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and multiply it a hundred times over and you’ll start to come close to what the applicants who seek help from Chive Charities endure every single day. But here’s the kicker: most do it with a smile. 

The photo above shows a handful of real families and individuals who we’ll be deliberating on this week. Forty worthy and deserving applicants who have nowhere else to turn. There are Veterans who served three tours in Iraq who could use a faithful companion by their side, a young survivor with the “suicide disease” in need of some positive news to combat the pain, special needs twin brothers looking for crucial home modifications, and Chivers who could just use a helping hand.  

From 40 hopeful Veterans, military families, first responders, and rare medical individuals, the Chive Charities team can only select 18 causes to help. For those 18 individuals, their lives will forever be changed. This community’s support will allow us to brighten up their worlds in a way they never thought possible. For the majority, however, the dark days will continue. Their last hope will have denied them because our budget can only go so far. And that’s the end of the story.

Or is it?

We know it’s possible to turn some of those no’s into yes’s. We’ve seen this community come through huge for us when times get tough, and we’re hoping you’ll help us shine through the darkness this holiday season. 

The good news is that it doesn’t take much. Each donation to Chive Charities, no matter the size, is a stream of light that, when combined with others, can be seen from afar. While $25 may not seem like it can change the world, when you zoom out to see the bigger picture, the collective impact starts to take shape. And that’s where you can help.

Introducing the Light Up The World campaign.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Donate $10 or more to Chive Charities, and your photo will appear on our interactive Light Up The World mosaic. You can comment on your photo to let everyone who inspires you to make the world a better place.

HELP US SHINE EVEN BRIGHTER:

Anyone who donates $50+ or signs up for a monthly subscription, at any level, will receive our Shine Bright holiday ornament. If you’re already a monthly donor, you can upgrade and qualify for the ornament as well.

We are locking ourselves in a room as you read this and selecting our next 18 deserving recipients. The decisions will be tougher than ever, and the need has never been greater. We’ll be happy for the ones we can help but heartbroken for the pictures on the wall who don’t receive funding.  Your $10 could be the difference in bringing a smile to our next Audrina, Taylor Morris, or Melissa Smith. It doesn’t take much, it just takes you. With your help, we can make this holiday season look brighter than ever for those waiting for life-changing support. Donate HERE to light up the world. 

See our mosaic come togeter with your photos realtime HERE