Search results for: Fellowship of Freethought Dallas

By Elizabeth Dorssom

Congratulations to the Beyond Belief Network’s November Team of the Month: Fellowship of Freethought Dallas! Fellowship of Freethought Dallas was chosen for this honor because of their record of consistent service as well as their recent volunteering and fundraising activities, which really go above and beyond in terms of creativity and LGBT activism. They’ve had more than 40 events since joining BBN (formerly Volunteers Beyond Belief).

Fellowship of Freethought Dallas recently held a bake sale at their weekly gathering that raised an amazing $350 to benefit their Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light The Night Walk team. That’s a lot of regular- and gluten-free cupcakes and brownies (one of which is pictured below)! They also sold their newly designed t-shirts.

Fellowship of Freethought Dallas is full of awesome food-related service ideas. In addition to their wildly successful bake sale, they also regularly volunteer at Youth First Texas, a youth-focused LGBTQ charity. Youth First has provided a welcoming, accepting environment for LGBTQ youth since 1999. FoFDallas participates by preparing a family-style meal for the teens on Fridays once a month. For their most recent meal, they prepared a delicious meal of grilled hamburgers and tater tots. They have previously prepared a Cajun meal, a taco bar, and a pasta bar for the youth.

In order to be considered for Team of the Month recognition, groups must be a Level One Beyond Belief Network team and have submitted at least one event report during the month prior to selection. Team of the Month awards are based on the number, length, variety, and documentation (e.g., submitted pictures, blog posts, videos, etc.) of events. Teams can only be Team of the Month once per calendar year. If your local group does great service work, but isn’t a member of BBN, you can join anytime! In addition to recognition, your team can qualify for free t-shirts and grants. If your local humanist group doesn’t volunteer but you’d like to start, we’d love to help! For teams new to secular service, we offer tons of ideas, event guides, and advice.

The Fellowship of Freethought Dallas has been participating in the AIDS Service of Dallas Ewing House Supper Club since January of 2010. The supper club consists of making a nutritious meal for residents of the home one evening a month. Many of the groups who come in are from churches but as far as we are aware FOF Dallas is the only secular group that participates. It is a fun and rewarding experience, and the patients of Ewing House really appreciate everything FOF Dallas does to keep the service friendly and the menu exciting.

For those of you who are interested in participating in a Supper Club in your own community, Melanie from FOF Dallas has the following helpful tips for you and your group!

Melanie Recommends:

• Get a rough idea of what other groups are serving. The Ewing House has a record book where each group records the meals that they have served. They tend to get A LOT of casseroles, lasagna, people bringing in fried chicken, etc

The people at the ASD homes are very appreciative of anything brought in; however, I know they get bored with the same thing over and over. Who wouldn’t? So we try to use the cooking talents of our group to make unique meals such as stir fry, savory and sweet “pie night” and so on.

By Brittany Shoots-Reinhard, Beyond Belief Network Coordinator

2013 marked the beginning of the Beyond Belief Network, which merged the existing Volunteers Beyond Belief, Foundation Partners, and Light The Night programs. Since our official launch in May, we’ve grown to 90 teams! Our teams recorded 150 events, and we’re nearing an exciting milestone of 30,000 hours donated to date. We’ve been able to provide teams with free logo t-shirts, grants, and assistance finding service activities and promoting events. Additionally, in September, we announced the winners of our first annual Heart of Humanism Awards (for Volunteers Beyond Belief teams active in 2012).

Beginning in October, we started issuing themed service guides once a month. October’s guide was about Domestic Violence Awareness; November’s guide was Fighting Hunger; December’s was Safe Toy Drives; January’s guide covers Mentoring children and other groups.

We also started recognizing the most active teams with Team of the Month awards. In September, we recognized the Humanist Community of Ventura County for their large number and variety of service events (and great pictures). October’s winning team was Flagstaff Freethinkers, who have both a recurring monthly commitment at a food center and incredible fundraisers, including Seráh Blain’s Blistering at the Margins project, a birthday Crochet-a-thon, and a Family Dance Party. Fellowship of Freethought Dallas was November’s Team of the Month. They’ve been consistently one of our top teams, in Volunteers Beyond Belief, Foundation Partners Programs, and Light The Night. They especially shine with food-related service and fundraisers. December’s team is FreeOK, who joined following the Oklahoma Tornadoes and were very active in cleanup and recovering efforts. They’ve been successful with blood drives, food drives, and the Holiday Humanist Gifting project, a wonderful toy drive that collected nominations and wish lists from more than 100 children, all of whom were adopted by members of their community.

In 2014, thanks to support from members and the community at large (and it’s not too late to give to our Year-End Fund Drive!), we will be able to support more teams with event planning assistance and guides, award more grants and t-shirts, and recognize even more teams with the Team of the Month and Heart of Humanism awards. If you know a local or online atheist or humanist group who would be a good candidate to join Beyond Belief Network, please send them to our website. Teams that join by the end of the day today may submit backdated reports for any service activities from 2013 and will be eligible for Heart of Humanism awards, t-shirts and grants, and a drawing to win a signed book from Dale McGowan or Chris Stedman (one entry per event report received by January 15, 2014).

By Elizabeth Dorssom

Foundation Beyond Belief’s Beyond Belief Network is a network of secular humanist groups volunteering in their communities and raising money for FBB’s featured charities and programs. Any group with a public secular humanist or atheist identity is welcome to join, regardless of experience or group size. Our teams have been hard at work in November putting their compassionate humanism to work. During November, BBN observed Hunger Awareness Month, and in December we are encouraging everyone to keep toy safety in mind when making holiday purchases for children.

November Team of the Month Fellowship of Freethought Dallas teamed up with David Smalley of Dogma Debate to host a Cocktails for a Cause event for the Seagoville Senior Center. The Senior Center provides many seniors with their only healthy meal each day and is in desperate need of funds. FoF Dallas plans to donate a $150 award from FBB to the center in addition to the $250 raised at the event. They also hosted a mini Thanksgiving meal for the teens at Youth First Texas, complete with turkey, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. Some of the teens do not have families to go to or do not feel comfortable attending family gatherings, which makes the family-style meals even more important to them.

The Humanist Community of Ventura County volunteered with Heal the Bay as part of their monthly Beach Cleanup in Pacific Palisades, CA. Heal the Bay is a local nonprofit dedicated to making southern California’s coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean. For two hours HCVC walked the beach with buckets and gloves picking up any and all trash they could find. HCVC was also educated about what drains from their local communities into the oceans and how dangerous that can be to the environment. Being no strangers to hard work, they also joined the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA), the Santa Monica Trails Council, and other volunteers for the 23nd Annual COSCA Trailwork Day. HCVC worked on new trails in the Conejo Canyons Open Space that are accessible because of a new bridge.

Finally, they volunteered at Sunday Assembly of Los Angeles and modeled their brand-new BBN gear featuring our brand-new logo! Sunday Assembly of Los Angeles is a new godless community that meets monthly to hear great talks, connect for service projects, sing songs, and generally celebrate life. Assemblies are free to attend, and everyone is welcome. HCVC brought nine volunteers to help with set-up, check-in, greeting, ushering, donation collection, service project signups, food distribution, and cleanup. Sunday Assembly of Los Angeles had more than 400 people in attendance, and the event was a huge success!

FreeOK took Hunger Awareness month to heart by collecting non-perishable food items for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma during a recent blood drive. Twenty-eight people donated blood, and 100 pounds of food were collected. The event also served as the first official drop location for Humanist Gifting Project contributions. This innovative project allowed needy children nominated from the community to make wish lists, which FreeOK staff turned into Amazon wish lists. Members were able to bring in toys, “adopt a child,” and purchase toys directly from Amazon. Kai Tancredi of FreeOK reported that as of Monday, 100% of the children in the program had been adopted by generous donors! In addition, FreeOK returned to their original work site for their Oklahoma Tornado Disaster Response project at Steelman Estates to assist with the tent city that has sprouted up since their last venture there in May. They organized overflow donations that could not be put in the limited warehouse space, sorted a 35-foot moving truck full of donated clothing, and put together care packages of clothing items to be distributed to local women’s and children’s shelters and the Muscular Dystrophy Association of OKC.

Central Ohio United Non-Theists held their 2nd Annual Flying Spaghetti Monster Benefit Dinner. The dinner topped last year, with 76 pounds of food collected at the event and more than $2,000 raised for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. Volunteers from several local atheist and freethought groups entertained and fed more than 120 guests. Their fun-filled event featured a raffle and silent auction of items donated by 21 area businesses, artists, and individuals. COUNT handled project management and post-event activity, made jewelry for the silent auction and raffle, and were represented by nine volunteers at the event. COUNT only recently reached 100 members, making it a prime example of what newly formed groups are capable of!

Ethics in Action recently helped Voices for Children in setting up a giving tree for the upcoming holidays in their local Whole Foods market. Voices for Children advocates for abused and neglected children and youth in St. Louis by representing their best interests in court and in the community. Volunteers spent most of their time preparing the ornaments, which double as gift wish tags. Shoppers collect tags and later return to Whole Foods with gifts for the children. The initiative has helped make the holidays brighter for nearly 600 kids in foster care over the past decade.

Secular Hub sorted medical supplies for Project C.U.R.E. in their first month of BBN membership. Project C.U.R.E. collects medical supplies and equipment from hospitals and other medical facilities and ships them to clinics and hospitals in poor countries, where the supplies are desperately needed.

Northern Arizona University’s Secular Student Alliance recently volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. NAU SSA members assisted with cleaning and painting the home of a local resident.

North Florida Atheists volunteered at Dignity U Wear to fold clothes that help out less fortunate families and kids. Dignity U Wear gives new clothing to schools and nonprofit agencies to serve those in need. Every North Florida Atheists member in attendance also brought canned goods to support their local Second Harvest Food Bank.

If you are a member of a secular humanist or atheist group and would like to participate in community service projects under the national umbrella of Foundation Beyond Belief, join Beyond Belief Network. We welcome all atheist groups interested in service, from groups with extensive volunteer experience to newly formed groups new to secular service. By aggregating our efforts, we show the world that all we really need is charity and goodness to make the world a better place.

By Elizabeth Dorssom

Foundation Beyond Belief’s Beyond Belief Network is a network of secular humanist groups interested in volunteering (Volunteers Beyond Belief) and raising money for FBB and our beneficiaries (Foundation Partners Program).

Our teams have been busy spreading goodwill and humanist values throughout their communities this Novemeber!

Secular Humanists of the Low Country raised $625 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and walked in the Light The Night Walk that took place at the Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park. This group also picked up 12 bags of litter on their adopted portion of Harborview Road.

North Florida Atheists recently attended the Florida Freethought Conference. The conference held a toy drive, so NFA members collected toys to donate. North Florida Atheists participated in the Light The Night Walk for the first time this year. They had a great participation rate, especially for a weeknight. Children also enjoyed the event, although they were very tired at the end.

Fellowship of Freethought Dallas prepared a mini Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings for Youth First Texas. A delicious meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce was prepared for the teens. Youth First Texas provides a Safe Haven for LGBT youth who do not have families or feel uncomfortable with family gatherings.

FreeOK has kicked off their eight-week gift drive: the Holiday Humanists Gifting Project! HHA Gifting is the part of FreeOK’s 2013 Giving Drive aimed at providing holiday gift relief to families housing foster children and those in need of assistance for other reasons. Kids up for gifting adoption provide FreeOK with wish lists, which are then made available to volunteering sponsors. To purchase a gift from the wish list, click here.

In December, Beyond Belief Network will observe Safe Toys and Gifts Month by encouraging BBN teams to donate toys to Ronald McDonald Houses, Toys for Tots, and women’s shelters, among other charities.

If you are a member of a secular humanist or atheist group and would like to participate in community service projects under the national umbrella of Foundation Beyond Belief, join Beyond Belief Network. We welcome all atheist groups interested in service, from groups with extensive volunteer experience to newly formed groups new to secular service. By aggregating our efforts, we show the world that all we really need is charity and goodness to make the world a better place.

By Brittany Shoots-Reinhard

Foundation Beyond Belief’s Beyond Belief Network is a network of secular humanist groups interested in volunteering (Volunteers Beyond Belief) and raising money for FBB and our beneficiaries (Foundation Partners Program).

Quite a few teams were busy in October with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night walks and fundraisers. With three months left in the 2013 walk season, we’re halfway to our goal of $500,000. With the help of several hundred walkers on teams all across the United States and Canada, we’ve raised $250,000 to help patients.

University of North Georgia Humanist Student Union held a Hug an Atheist event to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and wrote a wonderful post about their experience for the FBB blog.

FreeOK also held an LTN fundraiser: They set up a Hug an Atheist booth at Dove Science Academy’s Elementary Fall Festival. There were hugs of all shapes and sizes and some that looked an awful lot like secret handshakes.

The Humanist Community at Harvard recently participated in Boston’s annual Light The Night Walk. More than 50 people helped raise $2,631.91, and nine people participated in the walk at the Boston Common. The event was successful due in part to collaboration with a Humanistic Judaism congregation, Kahal B’raira, which donated through the Humanist Community at Harvard team and sent a representative to walk with HCH. HCH is also embarking on a new interfaith service initiative called Values in Action in partnership with Foundation Beyond Belief.

Fellowship of Freethought Dallas held a bake sale at their weekly gathering to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They sold regular and gluten-free cupcakes and brownies. They also designed t-shirts to sell and wear at events. This event raised more than $350! Fellowship of Freethought Dallas also prepared a delicious meal of grilled hamburgers and tater tots for Youth First Texas. Youth First Texas provides a safe haven for LGBT youth with nowhere else to go.

Humanists of Houston had their Light The Night walk in October. They also sorted medical supplies for Project C.U.R.E. Project C.U.R.E. accepts donations from individuals, hospitals, and clinics and relies on volunteers to sort and inventory medical supplies such as IV tubing, bandages, drapes, and syringes. The supplies they sorted and packed will be shipped to clinics in developing nations.
 
The Metropolitan Chicago Chapter of the Freedom from Religion Foundation joined the Friendly Atheist Virtual team for the Light The Night Walk. A total of $1,595 was raised by chapter members for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. FFRFMCC also held a social meet-up where attendees brought in nonperishable food items for donation to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. A total of 50 pounds of food products were donated.

Although most of the walks have already ended, we will be fundraising until the end of January. Until then, Todd Stiefel and his family are offering a matching grant so every dollar donated results in two dollars going to LLS. You can donate or learn more at www.FBBLLS.org.

If you’re a walker or a team captain, we have one more Incentives Week for 2013. Keep an eye on your inbox to find out how you can earn a $10 gift card to Starbucks! You could also win a Kindle Fire, Amazon gift card, or AmEx gift card!

In November, Beyond Belief Network will observe Hunger Awareness Month by encouraging BBN teams to help local food banks and soup kitchens. If you are a member of a secular humanist or atheist group and would like to participate in community service projects under the national umbrella of Foundation Beyond Belief, join Beyond Belief Network. We welcome all atheist groups interested in service, from groups with extensive volunteer experience to newly formed groups new to secular service. By aggregating our efforts, we show the world that all we really need is charity and goodness to make the world a better place.

By Elizabeth Dorssom

Foundation Beyond Belief’s Beyond Belief Network is a network of secular humanist groups interested in volunteering (Volunteers Beyond Belief) and raising money for FBB and our beneficiaries (Foundation Partners Program). Fall is here, and our volunteer groups are sending summer out with a blast and displaying humanity at work.

Flagstaff Freethinkers volunteered at the Flagstaff Family Food Center, a secular food pantry. They helped with food preparation, serving, and clean-up.

Humanists of Rhode Island volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to help build homes for the needy. The Humanists of Rhode Island have volunteered for Habitat for Humanity for more than two years and have been able to frame, shingle, paint, detail, insulate, and landscape houses. The Humanists of Rhode Island also attended a peace rally in which they collected money for Foundation Beyond Belief beneficiary International Rescue Committee to support Syrian refugee relief.

Fellowship of Freethought Dallas created a pasta bar for youth and volunteers at Youth First Texas. Previously, the group created a taco bar and prepared a Cajun meal for the youth. Youth First Texas provides a safe space for LGBTQ youth and their allied friends. Every Friday night they have a family-style meal that, for many, is the only nourishing meal they get during the week.

The Humanist Community of Ventura County became the first community group to ever volunteer in the California Lutheran University (CLU) Community Garden. They pulled weeds, watered plants, and picked ripe vegetables. The CLU Community Garden provides direct opportunities for students to learn about CLU’s sustainability principles and to participate in the nationwide movement of growing and purchasing local produce.

This summer, Central Ohio United Non-Theists (COUNT) volunteered as house-warmers for their local Ronald McDonald House (RMH). As house-warmers, COUNT worked with RMH guests to provide a home-like environment by greeting families, assisting with family needs, answering phones, giving tours, assisting with check-in and check-out, and preparing guest rooms after check-out. COUNT volunteers also assisted with cleaning facilities, laundry, restocking supplies, and staffing the front desk.

Are you a member of a secular humanist group and want to help your community, raise awareness of nonbelievers doing good deeds, and connect with other service-oriented groups? Ask your team to join Beyond Belief Network. BBN staff can help you achieve your service goals and, as you submit event reports, your team will qualify for free t-shirts and the opportunity to apply for grants.