https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:38:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421533 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:58:27 +0000 loveisstrange 421533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd start something to help kids who age out of the foster system get on their feet as adults or something for older kids who are living in group homes, etc. </p> <p>I've always wanted to foster/adopt teenagers and pre-teens but I know that I can't help them all in my own home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421524 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:56:03 +0000 Arden 421524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Looking back, I had no idea what I was doing and I screwed up a lot of things, but regardless, the outcome was still beautiful.<br /> That's why I always urge people to just go and do SOMETHING, because even through your mistakes you can still make a difference, and you'll learn along the way.</p> <p>. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421521 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:55:07 +0000 futuremama 421521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrstilly: @lemondrop: I know a woman who is an OT and does hippo therapy with her horses in their farm. It is so amazing. They had a professional photographer come and take pics of the kids one day. There were pics of this eight year old girl with autism. She had a HUGE smile on her face. Then they had pics of her parents crying because it was the first time in her eight years that they'd ever seen her smile. </p> <p>I hope that I have the opportunity to impact someone's life like that someday. Anyway, I might start a non- profit for sexually abused children or adults trying to get their GEDs/continuing Ed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421519 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:54:01 +0000 mrbee 421519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I'm definitely a big fan of "learning by doing" too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421513 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:52:17 +0000 Arden 421513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: It was such a learning experience for me. I feel like I got more out of those six years than my girls did.</p> <p>I was forced to quickly learn the language so I could teach before I could afford to bring in other teachers. I had to learn teaching skills. I had to learn about working with several different special needs, basic medical skills, even how to write grant proposals. Learning by doing is the best way! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421501 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:48:12 +0000 mrbee 421501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: Wow, that really puts things in perspective!</p> <p>I love non profits and social enterprise... it's awesome that you're doing and have done such great work here! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421496 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:45:57 +0000 Arden 421496@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Oh yeah, I visit them whenever I can! Some of them have made it all the way to fifth grade already, which is amazing. My parents still live in Albania so they sometimes come by the house and ask about me. They were so thrilled when I got married, they had been trying to marry me off for years since they get married at 12-15 and they thought I was such a sad old maid. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421495 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:44:37 +0000 Mrs. Blue 421495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: DH said if we won the lottery (which we didn't even buy a ticket for) that he would want to take part of the money and start some sort of micro-financing operation. We're very interested in that as well. </p> <p>@Arden: That's terrible. I look at Rainbow kids all the time, too! It such a misunderstood disease with rampant misconceptions and stereotyping that I think most people never even consider adopting HIV+ children. Obviously, finances are part of the problem but having really good insurance to help cover antiretrovirals goes a long way in alleviating that roadblock. I honestly think the reluctance to consider these children for adoption is primarily an issue of fear and lack of education on the progresses of medicine; people don't understand that an HIV+ child won't transfer HIV to you or other children by sharing a spoon, a bathtub, etc. or that with proper medicine and care, a person with HIV can have a normal life expectancy. Stepping off my soapbox now. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421492 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:42:36 +0000 mrbee 421492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: Super neat! Do you ever hear back on how your girls are doing now? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421490 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:41:49 +0000 sunny 421490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I'd like to do something relating to education in inner city schools. Maybe mentoring or tutoring or some other kind of after school program. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421488 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:41:26 +0000 Arden 421488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've already started one, in Albania, that I ran for six years and then turned it over to an existing, larger organization with more resources.</p> <p>It was an educational center for young Romani gypsy girls. We offered literacy classes, hot meals, and a basic care clinic three days a week. The dream was to make it a stepping stone for the girls - a way to learn basic hygiene and literacy so that they could get into the public school system.<br /> We also spent a lot of time dealing with the school system, attempting to get them to allow our girls a trial run in the regular schools (they thought Romani kids couldn't learn/had mental deficiencies/etc).<br /> We got about sixty girls into the public school system, which was huge because there were no Romani children in the public school system in our city at the time. Now there are a lot more in schools.</p> <p>The experience showed me how challenging running a non-profit can be, but it also made me even more certain that I wanted to keep doing this for the rest of my life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421472 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:34:40 +0000 Alivoo01 421472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyBoecksMom: that's so awesome!!!</p> <p>I'd want to help terminally ill kids or people below the poverty line to help them propel themselves into something better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421466 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:32:39 +0000 Arden 421466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Blue: That is awesome! We've been looking at Reese's Rainbow for HIV+ kids available for adoption.<br /> Many of them have other special needs as well, and because of the system in Eastern Europe, when these kids age out of the baby house at age seven they go into mental institutions, regardless of their mental status.<br /> I want to adopt them all!<br /> <a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingchildren/hiv-0-5" rel="nofollow">http://reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingchildren/hiv-0-5</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421456 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:29:54 +0000 littlebug 421456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would start a sex education program for teenagers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421447 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:26:52 +0000 brownie 421447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A children's museum for our town. We have nothing for toddlers and kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421443 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:25:26 +0000 Honeybee 421443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've thought about it before, and I would start a "lending library" for maternity/baby items. Basically, families could "check out" maternity items or baby clothes/items for a limited amount of time for free. I think it would be popular with impoverished families (of course), but also with middle and upper class families who just don't want to spend a ton of money for an item they may only use for a month or so (like a swing, jumper, exersaucer, newborn clothing, etc...). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421411 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:14:48 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 421411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Something related to poverty that would help people build themselves back up so it can be self-sustaining vs. just giving people a handout. I've always been very interested in microfinancing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421403 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:12:36 +0000 mrstilly 421403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would start a therapeutic horse farm for kids with behavioral issues and developmental disabilities. I love horses and grew up with them. And so many kids grow and thrive when they are around horses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421346 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:52:34 +0000 Mrs. Blue 421346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: There are so many things we see eye to eye on!</p> <p>I would start some kind of non-profit to help children living with HIV. There is an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that is just for HIV+ orphans (<a href="http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/</a>), and I'm so inspired by the work that they do. I would definitely start some sort of organization that would be similar to that or would help fund adoptions of HIV+ children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421345 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:52:28 +0000 lemondrop 421345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely an animal rescue of some sort. I currently work with a humane society, and there is only so much that can be done with limited resources.</p> <p>@Arden: equine therapy/ hippotherapy is a great option too, I used to volunteer for one when we lived in Colorado-it was one of the most fulfilling things I've ever been involved with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421344 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:52:18 +0000 mrs. wagon 421344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyBoecksMom: that's amazing!!!</p> <p>I've thought about this a bit since I've been in and out of non-profits for a while. There's so much politics involved and even though I'd like to have my own business one day, I'd probably start a for-profit business if I did so. I much prefer working for a large non-profit because it's less stress as a mere employee.</p> <p>That being said, I would love to run a no-kill shelter or rescue group for dogs!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421339 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:51:24 +0000 Mrs. Pen 421339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyBoecksMom: that is amazing!!! </p> <p>I would start a business that focuses on educating people how to eat right for long-term health</p> <p>OR</p> <p>a women's center, like a birth center but it would also encompass women's care and post-natal care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421337 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:50:06 +0000 littlek 421337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Either abused animals or sick children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421334 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:47:42 +0000 Maysprout 421334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Environmental protection and awareness<br /> @BabyBoecksMom: That's really inspiring, great job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421326 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:43:54 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 421326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually did start a non-profit company a few years ago. I started making and selling crafts to help raise money for my mom's cancer treatment because it wasn't covered by her insurance. I ended up raising so much money that I was able to give money to a few other cancer patients in need of financial assistance. I wish I could have kept doing it, but it took so much time and effort that I just couldn't keep up with it and still work full time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421315 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:39:54 +0000 Rock n Roll 421315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Financial help and low interest/no interest loans for people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421296 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:33:01 +0000 mrsjazz 421296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My non-profit would bring together the arts and sciences in a mentoring program that would enroll at-risk/low-income children beginning in the elementary school years and be with them until they graduated from high school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421284 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:30:13 +0000 MrsBrewer 421284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Anything animal based! I have the softest spot in my heart for animals! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421283 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:29:56 +0000 Arden 421283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Probably a women's health center/birthing center run by women and for women that included surgical unit to repair fistulas in Somalia or another country with huge needs for women. I would love to get it certified as an out of country NARM training site and train midwives from that country so they could work with their own people.</p> <p>Or maybe an equine therapy center for children who have been abused.</p> <p>And this isn't exactly a non-profit, but if I had unlimited money I would adopt several children with HIV. I don't think we could currently handle the medical costs involved, but if we had more money that's something we would seriously consider. Maybe someday... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-start-a-non-profit-what-would-it-be#post-421273 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:27:05 +0000 blackbird 421273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Something STEM-based </p>