Beyond Belief Network’s 2014 in review

2014 was a fantastic year for Beyond Belief Network! Since our official launch in May 2013, we’ve grown to over 100 teams. Our teams recorded 244 events, and we’re at an exciting milestone of over 58,000 hours donated to date. We’ve been able to provide teams with free logo t-shirts, grants, and assistance finding service…

Read More

Beyond Belief Network teams end 2014 with strong service events

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. Austin Atheists Helping the Homeless hosted their final collection…

Read More

Beyond Belief Network Teams beat the heat through service

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. Central Ohio United Non-Theists (COUNT) was busy! In June, two…

Read More

Beyond Belief Network Teams improve selves and community

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. Four members of our Team of the Month for June…

Read More

April Beyond Belief Network Roundup

Volunteer teams in the Beyond Belief Network shifted gears in our first full month of quarantine, asked what the new needs were in their communities, and figured out how to help from a distance!

Read More

Winter round up: Beyond Belief Network teams bring the heat

The winter weather may have been cold, but our hearts are warmed when we hear about the awesome work our Beyond Belief Network teams have been doing! The Beyond Belief Network program is sustained through a partnership between Foundation Beyond Belief and the Atheist Community of Austin (ACA). We thank ACA for their generous support…

Read More

How you can make “It Get Better” in your community

It Gets Better ProjectCurrent FBB Human Rights beneficiary the It Gets Better Project is on a mission to give LGBTQ teens hope that their future will be brighter than the pain that many endure during their young adult years. We can all pitch in to help it get better, so here are some ways that you (yes, you!) can take action to support the LGBTQ community.  

The It Gets Better Project is still looking for volunteers to hand out promotional materials and take pictures at Pride Parades in St. Louis, Seattle, Chicago, and San Francisco on Sunday, June 24. You can find the volunteer form here; please also email us so that we can let It Gets Better know you are with VBB.

Some VBB teams have committed to organizing volunteers for local Pride events in their area. To join the San Diego Coalition of Reason at their local Pride event on Saturday July 21, contact them by email. Volunteers Beyond Belief team Humanists of Houston is handing out materials and marching in the Houston Pride Parade this Saturday, June 23, with the Houston Freethought Alliance; they can be reached by email

Humanists of RISeveral of our local teams have already engaged in efforts supporting LGBTQ rights. On Saturday, June 16, the Humanists of Rhode Island had more than a dozen volunteers represent them in downtown Providence at a day-long festival. They marched that evening in the country’s only illuminated nighttime Pride parade, tailed by a Mustang convertible from which HRI member Kelly Reid tossed candy to spectators. Also on June 16, the Humanist Community of Central Ohio walked in their local pride parade. Twelve members participated in the parade and passed out bookmarks in support of the LGBTQ community in Columbus. 

Minnesota AtheistsTriangle Freethought SocietyMinnesota Atheists also proudly marched in the 28th annual MayDay parade in Minneapolis, during which many of their members made a point of championing marriage equality with signs and t-shirts. Triangle Freethought Society volunteered at phone banks to inform voters about NC Amendment One earlier this year. This event was featured on our blog a few weeks ago. 

This coming month, related LGBTQ charity The Trevor Project is hosting a variety of Pride events, including those in West Hollywood, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Washington, DC. If you’re in one of these areas, you can find more details about the events and what you can do here

VBBIf you’re not in one of those locations but still want to help, you can also check out other volunteer opportunities with The Trevor Project, including lifeline counseling, writing blog contributions, or even just helping the project with mailings and data entry. You can also check out VolunteerMatch and search your city with keyword “LGBTQ” for a list of local opportunities, or visit GLAAD, an organization focused on LGBTQ in the media. They have virtual volunteer opportunities for those who prefer to help out behind the scenes. The It Gets Better Project itself also has a useful summary of things you can do to advance their mission, such as sharing your story by video or text.

We’re so proud of our teams who have already been making an effort in this important issue of our time. We hope to see many more of you following in their footsteps! If you do, don’t forget to share it with us on our Volunteers Beyond Belief Facebook page, or tweet it to us at @VolunteersBB.

Read More