When LiLing, Brennan and I started Trekaroo back in 2008, our vision was to build a company that would help parents explore and travel with kids. But, we didn’t want it to stop there. Travel is a luxury and we know that there are many children around the world who don’t even have their basic needs met. Although, we haven’t made a lot of money this year, we’d like to donate $500 to one of the following organizations. Since all of you Trekaroo families helped us to earn this $500, we’d like you to choose which lucky organization to send our mullah to this Thanksgiving.
I am ready to vote!
Big City Mountaineers – Big City Mountaineers is all about enhancing the lives of urban youth through transformative outdoor experiences (aka a week-long adventure in the wild). BCM uses these trips through nature to help build their self esteem and confidence. Vote for Big City Mountaineers
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There are more than 1 billion people in the world who live on less than one dollar a day. Compassion International helps to fight poverty one child at a time. They not only provide for these kid’s physical needs, but also help with their economic, educational and spiritual needs. Vote for Compassion!
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Who’s fighting for the rights of children who are victims of slavery, sex trafficking or violence? The International Justice Mission (IJM) is a team of lawyers and detectives and who rescue these kids and prosecute the offenders. They are working around the world to give kids the most basic rights, their freedom. Vote for International Justice Mission!
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Instead of giving a man a fish, Kiva provides them with a loan to start a fishing business. Kiva gives loans to folks living in poverty who are trying to break the cycle. Their loans aim to help entrepreneurs and bring sustaining change to lives. It really is a loan because you get the money back to re-invest in other entrepreneurs. Vote for Kiva!
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More than 200,000 kids a year are born with a cleft condition that leaves them unable to eat, speak or smile. Operation Smile is a crew of volunteer doctors and nurses who provide free surgeries to restore a SMILE to these kids. Vote for Operation Smile!
Each of these organizations is special to us founders which is why we wanted to share them with you. So, you can vote in two ways: 1) write in the comment area below who you’d like or 2) go to our poll by clicking on the link above.
Tell us where you’d like Trekaroo to send our money this Thanksgiving season. We’ll tally up the stats on Sunday night (November 29th), the end of this amazing thankful holiday and post the winner.
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Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL and WA
November 23rd, 2009 at 11:49 am
[...] Trekaroo is giving $500 to one of five nonprofits, including Big City Mountaineers. Want to help? Click here to vote for BCM! [...]
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
As a Cleft lip and palate “survivor” I vote for Operation Smile. It is a charity that is near to my heart…
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Compassion International
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I vote for Big City Mountaineers
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Compassion International!
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Compassion International!
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Compassion is a great organization that I have witnessed first hand in action. They are truly doing what they say they do.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Compassion International ministers to the poorest of the poor. It is launching the “Child Survival Program” to help children live to their fifth birthday.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
They’re all great charities, but I think “Operation Smile” gets more bang for your buck. $500 will help 1-2 children for a year, or 50-60 kids for a week or so. But $500 would pay for most of the supplies for repairing a cleft lip, and that will change a child’s life forever. But whoever gets it, good on you.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:45 am
Wow. Thanks for sharing Carrie!
November 29th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
These are all amazing groups! Thanks for introducing me to them. Based on what I read, my vote is for the Compassion organization.
November 30th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
[...] Who Should We Donate $500 to? Big City Mountaineers! ShareI hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. As we all head back to work this morning, I wanted to close out this Thanksgiving holiday by announcing who we’ll be sending a check to this week. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s a quick catch-up. About a week ago, I shared how “our vision was to build a company that would help parents explore and travel with kids. But, we didn’t want it to stop there. Travel is a luxury and we know that there are many children around the world who don’t even have their basic needs met. Although, we haven’t made a lot of money this year, we’d like to donate $500 to one of the following organizations. Since all of you Trekaroo families helped us to earn this $500, we’d like you to choose which lucky organization to send our mullah to this Thanksgiving.” (To see which organizations were chosen, go to Who Should We Donate $500 to?) [...]