I have the best job, raising money for Denver nonprofits as a fundraising auctioneer.  There is no better feeling than knowing that you are helping charities provide shelter, surgeries, food, medical supplies, education, and many other necessities to people who are truly in need in your area.  I just conducted a charity auction in Denver for those suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease.  These are wonderful people, suffering from a devastating disease.  There is nothing I would rather do.

As a fundraising auctioneer, of course, I bring in the money.  Money is necessary for every nonprofit to survive; it is vital.  However, there are many things that can be given to help other people.  Lately, I have seen so many creative people using whatever resources they have to help others.  Some examples are giving their time, abilities, talents, and comfort.  I recently saw one of these giving people featured on 9 News. 

Rise Justice is a giving person who saw a need and decided to fix it.  She knows how important it is for young children to celebrate their birthdays.  It seems like a small thing to many of us who always expected a birthday party as a child, but many homeless children will not get to celebrate the day of their birth.  Rise Justice realized how many homeless children miss celebrating these milestones and starting making birthday parties.  What a great idea!  A birthday party is a simple event that these kids will remember forever.  Rise’s nonprofit, Birthday Smiles, has many organizations that contribute to the events that make them fun and memorable for the kids.  Visit her website, http://www.birthdaysmiles.org/, to see what she has accomplished.

Now, I would guess that many, if not all of you have planned and orchestrated a child’s birthday party.  It doesn’t take a special ability, but to do it for a child that you don’t know, who lives in a shelter, takes compassion.  Take a moment to look around at those that may be in need in your area.  There are many families who have lost their jobs or homes that cannot provide some things for their families that you and I take for granted.  Be creative and use what you have to fill someone else’s needs.  You will love the feeling it gives you and you may even decide to keep doing it!