Extremeskins Tailgate: Time to give back! (updated nominations)

Hi all!!

Huly and I take part in a number of charities this year, and have come up with a new idea. We

think it would be a great idea if the Extremeskins Tailgate "sponsored" a charity each year.

Every year we would have the board weigh in on deciding which charity to support. We would

then have an official box for all donations at every tailgate. At the end of the year, we would

then submit all the donations to the chosen charity in the name of Extremeskins Board

Members. We will also setup a paypal to allow those folks that do not attend games but

would like to donate a method in which to do so.

We would like to go after charities that are in dire need. Breast Cancer Awareness, United Way,

etc are great charities, but we would like to go after charities that are not as publicized that

really, really need help. Something that Extremeskins could really impact.

For now, we ask that everyone here:

1) Provide input on what you think of this idea and any helpful suggestions

2) Please provide an idea for a charity

We already have a couple ideas that have been provided to us via the Hogettes and others, but

we would like to see if our board members can come up with some great ideas as well.

Please take this seriously.

--- NOMINEES ----

4 Paws for Ability, Inc.

4 Paws for Ability, Inc. mission is to:

• Enrich the lives of people with disabilities by the training and placement of service dogs
  to provide individuals with companionship and promote
• independent living
  
• Educate the public to accept the use of service dogs in public places
  
• Assist with animal rescue whenever possible by obtaining many of our animals from
  shelters and rescue groups
  

Capital Area Food Bank

The mission of the Capital Area Food Bank is to feed those who suffer from hunger in the

Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area by acquiring food and distributing it through our

network of member agencies; and to educate, empower and enlighten the community about

the issues of hunger and nutrition.

Fischer House Foundation

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's

military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men

and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need

beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Georgetown Ministry Center

Georgetown ministry center is a non-profit social service organization dedicated since 1987

to finding lasting solutions for people who are homeless on the streets of Georgetown. Our

goal is to get each homeless person we meet off the street and into safe, appropriate

housing. GMC offers counceling and information services, provides street outreach, showers

and laundry, and employs a consulting psychiatrist who sees people in our office and on the

street.

HART (Homeless Animal Rescue Team)

HART is a no-kill animal rescue/support group, incorporated in 1990, that takes in and

rehomes stray, abused and unwanted dogs and cats. Whether the animal is a give-up or

stray, HART works with local veterinarians, foster homes, kennels, and trainers to provide

temporary housing, medical care and, where appropriate, training for our animals until s/he

is placed in a loving, carefully-screened new home. HART takes in older, sick, and injured

animals as well as the readily adoptable and never takes just the pups and kittens, leaving

mom behind. We seek to direct our resources where they are most needed and to alleviate

or prevent suffering wherever we find it.

Histiocytosis Association

The Histiocytosis Association is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the

unique needs of patients and families dealing with the effects of histiocytic disorders while

leading the search for a cure. It is the only organization of its kind, connecting the patient

and medical communities to:

• Grow and share knowledge of histiocytic disorders,
  
• Provide critical emotional and educational support to patients and families, and
  
• Identify and fund key research initiatives that will lead to a world free of histiocytic disorders.
  

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a leader in supporting the men and women of the Armed

Forces and their families. Begun in 2000 under the auspices of the Intrepid Museum

Foundation and established as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2003, the Fund

has provided close to $120 million in support for the families of military personnel lost in

service to our nation, and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans. These

efforts are funded entirely with donations from the public, and hundreds of thousands of

individuals have contributed to the Fund.

Military Working Dog Foundation

The Mission of the Military Working Dog Foundation is to assist the Department of Defense

Military Working Dog Center in finding suitable homes for military working dogs that become

available for adoption because they are no longer capable of performing their military duties.

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Congress created the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to lead a nationwide effort to

honor America's fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the non-profit Foundation has developed and

expanded programs that fulfill that mandate. Our mission is to honor and remember America's

fallen fire heroes and to provide resources to assist their survivors in rebuilding their lives.

Project Valour-IT

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled/

adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and

Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries.

Promise Animal League

Promise Animal League, Inc. was formed for the prevention of cruelty to animals and

educational purposes by a group of individuals who have been helping animals in the local

community for over 25 years. Our group of dedicated volunteers provides a small pet food

bank for other shelter and rescue. In addition Promise Animal League (PAL) owns and

operates a licensed veterinary practice in Hagerstown Maryland. Our low cost clinic is open

by appointment for surgeries and is available to everyone regardless of income, location or if

you are a shelter or rescue group. PAL currently has four licensed veterinarians.

Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together believes in a safe and healthy home for every person. This means that

we believe disabled and aging homeowners should be able to remain in their homes for as

long as possible. We believe that homeowners displaced by natural disaster will get back

into safe housing with help from the community. We believe that our nation’s veterans with

disabilities deserve safe and accessible homes. Rebuilding Together believes we can

preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities by providing free home

modifications and repairs, making homes safer, more accessible, and more energy efficient.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is to create, find and support

programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Guiding us in our

mission are our core values:

• Focusing on the critical needs of children.
  
• Celebrating the diversity of the programs we offer and the staff, volunteers and donors
  who make them possible.
  
• Staying true to our heritage of 36 years of responsible stewardship.
  
• Operating with accountability and transparency.
  

SOME (So Others Might Eat)

SOME (So Others Might Eat) is an interfaith, community-based organization that exists to

help the poor and homeless of our nation's capital. We meet the immediate daily needs of

the people we serve with food, clothing, and health care. We help break the cycle of

homelessness by offering services, such as affordable housing, job training, addiction

treatment, and counseling, to the poor, the elderly and individuals with mental illness. Each

day, SOME is restoring hope and dignity one person at a time.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants and educational

and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in

operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded

special operations personnel and their families.

Warrior Foundation

Our Mission is to assist, honor, and support the military men and women/ service members/

personnel who have so bravely served and sacrificed for our country. We further vow to help

the seriously injured who are assigned to Naval Regional Medical Center, Camp Pendleton

Naval Hospital, 29 Palms and Fort Irwin as well as those who are going through rehabilitation

in the San Diego area.

Wounded Warrior Project

The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to "honor and

empower wounded warriors" of the United States Armed Forces. "The Wounded Warrior

Project (WWP) works to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely

injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist

each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs."

Youth for Tomorrow

Youth For Tomorrow is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and compassionate

environment for at-risk youth who have been abandoned, abused, or otherwise alienated

from family and community. Our mission is to provide them the opportunity and motivation

to focus their lives and develop the confidence, skills, intellectual ability, spiritual insight

and moral integrity to become responsible and productive members of society.

I think it's a great idea. I never come to the tailgate, but will participate from afar. I will contribute to the charity of choice once it is decided. I can sent it to you and Huly.

Hope it's something good

I think its a great idea, and my suggestion for a charity would be the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation http://www.firehero.org/about/ this organization honors Fallen firefighters and provides services to the familes to help rebuild there lives.

Obviously being a firefighter, and having a family this is one of the most important charities out there but most people do not even know it exsits and it has been around since 1992

Thanks chip.... do you have any suggestions for a charity?

HD thanks I have added your suggesstion to the list of nominees.

Great Idea!

This is going to sound like I'm sucking up but I'd like to find a small no kill shelter or a low cost vet clinic that could use a financial boost.

Something along the lines of this Low Cost Clinic

Great idea Pez and I will do what I can from afar. Those are both great organizations, but I would like to submit another one for review. One that my wife and I both worked with years ago when living in the area.

http://georgetownministrycenter.org/services/

I take it you guys couldn't find a program for recovering Cowboys fans.

Youth for Tomorrow has my vote.

Boy I wish I was up there to be a part of this. This is a great idea and will reap rewards beyond your imagination. I think any charity that feeds people now is a good one, also any that helps abused children should be considered. I would suggest that before you choose a charity ask to see thier 501 3c detailing financial stability, salaries and operational costs associated with the charity.

Good Luck with this.

:2cents:Since I tailgated last year for the first time with extremeskins in Tennessee, and thought it was absolutely amazing, I figured I'd throw in my :2cents:.

I am from Philly, but there has to be similar charities in DC, and most likely in the same situation. I have seen food pantries help so many community people, but struggle each year, because of the inability to advertise like the bigger ones (loaves and fishes struggles as Philabundance is able to do better because of it being a big organization.

Right now, with unemployment so low, economy so bad, people struggling everywhere, this is once necessity people who can afford a little bit of excess can help. Many of these places accept grocery gift cards as well as cash.

I think its a great idea, and my suggestion for a charity would be the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation http://www.firehero.org/about/ this organization honors Fallen firefighters and provides services to the familes to help rebuild there lives.

Obviously being a firefighter, and having a family this is one of the most important charities out there but most people do not even know it exsits and it has been around since 1992

My son is a volunteer firefighter in Syosset, NY. I would be down for contributing to this.

I would also be for creating more than one charity to receive donations.

Great idea! I have experience with SOME. I used to volunteer there as a kid, they do great work.

Question: I don't know how much money we will raise, but one option is to chose several different charities and split the money. It reduces the overall effect to one, but spreads the wealth a little bit. I generally try and contribute to one medical research foundation (Cancer, ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), AIDS, MS, etc.), one local poverty or child poverty, and one Military charity organization per year.

Maybe it's not a great idea, because it would split up the money, but there are so many charities that could use anything these days, it might be worth a thought.

Boy I wish I was up there to be a part of this. This is a great idea and will reap rewards beyond your imagination. I think any charity that feeds people now is a good one, also any that helps abused children should be considered. I would suggest that before you choose a charity ask to see thier 501 3c detailing financial stability, salaries and operational costs associated with the charity.

Good Luck with this.

I will definately be looking at their 501C3 status docs etc. to make sure we are supporting a GOOD charity.

I know what to look for and what to look at since I am the Director of Adoptions for a local dog rescue.

Here are a few I was tossing around:

http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/

http://www.fisherhouse.org/

http://www.specialops.org/

http://www.fallenheroesfund.org/

http://www.militaryworkingdogs.com/history.shtml

http://www.helpkyria.com/our-programs/private-placement-programs/paws4vets/ http://www.paws4vets.org/p4v_home/

http://www.4pawsforability.org/vets.html

I love the idea and I'm totally in.

As far as charities go..I've always supported Ronald McDonald House. Their mission has always spoken to me and I think about how valuable such a place would be if God forbid one of my children were ever to be diagnosed with a serious illness that we had to travel for long term treatment.

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Many families travel far from home to get treatment for their seriously ill or injured children. Often, it can be a long time to be away from home, or to divide a family. And, for children facing a serious medical crisis, nothing seems scarier than not having their mom and dad close by for love and support.

Our Ronald McDonald House program provides a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost. Our Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest.

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I will support any charity the group decides on, I think this is a great idea.

I have a sentimental weakness for the Special Operations Warrior Fund. These guys do phenominal things (main focus is to give scholarships to the children of fallen Special Operations Soldiers) and I've given them money each year for the last several.

Please keep us abreast of which direction you decide to go!

HAIL!

http://www.fisherhouse.org/about

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

http://www.fallenheroesfund.org/about-ifhf.aspx

The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a leader in supporting the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Begun in 2000 under the auspices of the Intrepid Museum Foundation and established as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2003, the Fund has provided close to $120 million in support for the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation, and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans. These efforts are funded entirely with donations from the public, and hundreds of thousands of individuals have contributed to the Fund.

Getting some good nominations here.... keep them coming, I have been updating the first post with the suggestions I am getting.

Since this is our first year, we may just go with one charity. If this venture is successful, next year we may branch out to more than one charity.... thoughts?

I agree with the Ronald McDonald House...I have always contributed to them. Our children are our future! (PS..I have personal experience with them when my daughter was born and I was a struggling Soldier...They are quite an organization!)

God bless you guys....I'll donate wherever is chosen.

I'd like to nominate Project Valour-IT: http://www.soldiersangels.org/project-valour-it.html

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries. Items supplied include:

-Voice-controlled Laptops - Operated by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, they allow the wounded to maintain connections with the rest of the world during recovery.

-Personal GPS - Handheld GPS devices build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI and severe PTS/PTSD.

-Wii Video Game Systems - Whole-body game systems increase motivation and speed recovery when used under the guidance of physical therapists in therapy sessions (donated only to medical facilities)

:beavisnbutthead:This Idea Rocks:beavisnbutthead:

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund gets my vote.

I am happy with any of the suggestions really but has a war time my vet myself this one is a bit closer to home for me.

HART

http://www.hart90.org/

Homeless Animal Rescue Team

I adopted my wonderful dog from them. They spent 1200$ on her to surgically repair her back leg as she was hit by a car so that she could be adopted.

They are wonderful people and all the work is voluntary from foster families to the people that organize fund raisers.

They are also very local to this area in Northern Virginia and very much in need of funding.

SOME is my favorite out of all of those thus far.

We are going to let nominations go on till Saturday at which point, Huly and I are going to do some research on these charities to make sure all is good.

Once that is done, we will put up a poll to have everyone decide the charity.

Is that cool with everyone?

We are going to let nominations go on till Saturday at which point, Huly and I are going to do some research on these charities to make sure all is good.

Once that is done, we will put up a poll to have everyone decide the charity.

Is that cool with everyone?

I think what your doing is a really good idea and wish I was closer so I could attend.

Giving back always bring fortune into your life. It sets an example, feels good, and offers a ray of hope to those that can't find one.

Major props to you guys.