The Morgan Center: Daycare for Children with Cancer

Children with cancer often face isolation as chemotherapy suppresses the immune system and leaves them open to other illness that could complicate and even risk their lives further.  Nancy Zuch saw her toddler, Morgan, go through this as the 2 year old underwent treatment for leukemia. Zuch opened the Morgan Center, a New York-based preschool, to provide a clean environment for kids with cancer so the little ones wouldn't miss out on learning and making friends.

THE MORGAN CENTER is a 501(c)(3) not for profit charitable organization dedicated to providing preschool age children who are undergoing treatment for cancer the opportunity to interact and socialize, in a safe environment that stimulates cognitive and social development. Children on chemotherapy treatment have a suppressed immune system, and could otherwise risk infection and serious illness by attending typical age appropriate preschool programs.

The program has been so successful that another New York center is in the works, and Zuch has been approached by other states to reproduce her model of care around the country.

CNN Heroes spotlights The Morgan Center and what Nancy Zuch has made possible for children battling cancer.

Good.is, for people striving to make the world better

Left, right. In, out. Greed, altruism. Us, them. These are the defaults and they are broken. We are the alternative model. We are the reasonable people who give a damn. No dogma. No party lines. No borders. We care about what works--what is sustainable, prosperous, productive, creative, and just--for all of us and each of us. This isn’t easy, but we are not afraid to fail. We’ll figure it out as we go.

Good is a collection of people, businesses, moms, kids, artists, organizations, policymakers, students, teachers, and engineers. Everyone is participating in one simple idea that each is elevated by being connected to others.

• Good funds ideas that correct problems.
• Good promotes business that think about more than profits.
• Good applauds technology that makes doctors more compassionate.
• Good is science that leads to understanding.
• Good cares about environments that make a cleaner world or a saner working space.

Good's range of interest is a wide as every human imagination.

The Moth: Preserving the Storytelling Tradition

Stories attract people like moths to a flame.  Poet and novelist, George Dawes Green considered this in naming his foundation, The Moth.

George wanted to recreate, in New York, the feeling of sultry summer evenings in his native Georgia, where he and his friends would gather on his friend Wanda’s porch to share spellbinding tales. There was a hole in the screen which let in moths that were attracted to the light, and the group started calling themselves The Moths. The first New York Moth event was held in George’s living room, but word spread fast, and the events soon moved to cafes and clubs throughout the city. 

The not-for-profit organization is dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Experts and novices alike are allowed to share their stories as performance pieces. The former police officer in the video above tells of a humiliating experience as a rookie when he locked himself in the back of his own squad car.

Since 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide.

Phoenix Multisport: choosing health and sobriety

Scott Strode offers choice to people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.  Strode battled addiction himself and knows one of the struggles is tearing away from social circles that help perpetuate continued substance abuse.  He founded Phoenix Multisport as a place for those facing these sorts of challenges.  The name is Phoenix alludes to the the mythical creature rising new and alive from its own ashes.  Stode's sports club welcomes anyone with 48 hours of sobriety free of charge.  Participants have instant camaraderie and a range of activities that promotes healthy living and fun.

"Life should be better once you get sober," said Strode, 38. "(We want to) help people build a new life, a new self-image and have fun without getting high." (CNN)

More than 4,700 people have participated in Phoenix which Strode started in 2007.  He is now featured as one of CNN's Heroes for 2012.

The Soup Movement

GPSoup is a gathering of like-minded citizens whose goal is to fund local initiatives by providing them with seed money that launches an idea or project.  It started with twitter and emails then became a monthly gathering.

Now GPSoup meets the last Sunday of every month. Everyone is asked to bring a $10 donation and a can of soup to be donated as well.

The $10 donation gets participants three things. A bowl. A spoon. A vote.

After a meal of soup and bread we will, as a group, listen to proposals from members of our community. Each proposal has five minutes to explain to those gathered why their idea would benefit the citizens of their community.  At the end of the presentations, you will be asked to submit your vote as to which idea has the most merit. We are not looking for the biggest, or the best idea. We as a group will have roughly $500-$1000 to grant someone, that's not a lot of money, unless there's some real ingenuity involved.

The idea should be new and something that hasn't been done before. It should be a new solution to an old problem.  Groups brainstorming for solving social issues are popping up throughout the U.S. and Canada.  NPR has more.

Heart Healthy Tips for Heart Health Awareness Month

The Eric De La Cruz Hope for Hearts Foundation raises Heart Health Awareness this month through social media.  Small changes in lifestyle and behavior can lead to better heart health.  Tips include:

• Cooking more at home
• Getting a check-up and having your cholesterol checked every 5 years
• Adding green tea to your daily diet
• Getting proper sleep
• Laughing more
• Choose whole grain breads
• Taking a tech break
• Raising heart health awareness by sharing tips via social media.

Hope for Hearts founder Veronica De La Cruz explains in this public service announcement how you can be heart smart while shopping:

The Hope for Hearts Foundation's was created in memory of Eric De La Cruz (Veronica's brother) who died while waiting for a heart transplant.  The organization helps people navigate the medical and financial hurdles heart transplant candidates face.  Presently Hope for Hearts is working with a new patient, Colby Salerno, who is waiting for a heart. He is celebrating his 24th birthday this month.

"We are trying to organize a donor drive online for him, since there are a shortage of organs and he has been waiting for a heart now for more than a year. His arteries are hardening and his heart is turning into scar tissue. The only thing that can save him is a heart transplant."  --Veronica De La Cruz, founder

If you're interested in helping Colby you can donate here.

Georgia's Friends of Refugees

The Perennial Plate Episode 90: Refugee Garden from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

Friends of Refugees nurtures the Atlanta Metro area's refugees through relationships and opportunities that "provide for their well-being, education and employment as they become contributing members of society."

Thousands of refugees come to the U.S. each year seeking a better life. In the community of Clarkston, GA, near Atlanta, approximately 60,000 refugees have settled since the 1990s.  More 150 different ethnic groups are represented and Clarkston has been named “the most diverse square mile in America” by the New York Times.

Community Gardens are one way Georgia's newest residents can develop friendships while providing fresh, wholesome food for their families. Iraqis, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Burmese and others make the opportunity to raise produce.  Friends of Refugees also offers employment help, English classes, and after-school tutoring.  Literacy classes and summer camps are also provided by this 501 (c)(3) nonprofit.