1. PAWS Wild Week — PAWS Wild Week is dedicated to building the community and raising funds for cats, dogs and wild animals through an online auction filled with fun items and unique experiences. You can also do more than bid on auction items! Become a PAWS Wild Week fundraiser and invite your friends, family and colleagues to get involved too. We may not be able to join together in person, but we can join together virtually to save animals. Join them May 24-31, with a sneak peek beginning May 22. Learn more here.
2. Take the 54 Challenge for the Arthritis Foundation — Did you know that arthritis affects 54 million Americans? For Arthritis Awareness Month this May, you can participate in the 54 Challenge — Raise $54, Tell 54 friends and Move 54. Move 54 can be 54 steps, 54 dance moves or even 54 words of encouragement on your social pages. It can be whatever works for you! Join in the conversation online.
3. Help break the stigma of mental illness — May is Mental Health Awareness. And with the stress and isolation caused by COVID-19, organizations like Crisis Connections are busier than ever providing critical safety net services for people in need. If you are experiencing a crisis, need resources or are struggling with other challenges, the 24-Hour Crisis Line is open at 1.866.4CRISIS. Or you can get information in your area from King County 2-1-1 by texting your ZIP code to 877-211-9274. More information and resources are available from Crisis Connections here.
4. IGNITE Virtual Spring Gala — Join IGNITE Worldwide’s Virtual Spring Gala, an opportunity to support gender equity in STEM. This weeklong virtual event, May 15-22, will raise funds critical to continuing its mission of inspiring girls/nonbinary students to pursue futures in science, technology, engineering and math. This online experience includes a worldwide documentary premiere, an inspiring message from IGNITE Worldwide’s CEO, a virtual paddle raise and a unique lineup of auction items — including the opportunity to meet and gain insights from KIRO 7’s Monique Ming Laven!
5. Color for Cash! — Looking for a calming element during this trying time? Try coloring! O Bee Credit Union is hosting a Color-for-Cash contest through the end of May in which you can not only enjoy the benefits of coloring but also win a cash prize and help give back to those in need. Just go to its website, fill out an entry form and you’ll be directed to Washington-inspired coloring pages. Choose a page, download it, color it in, post to Facebook or Instagram and tag the O Bee Credit Union account. That’s it! You could win one of six cash prizes ranging from $250 to $750 for a total of $3,000. And O Bee will match the $3,000 in prize money, donating the same amount each to the Thurston County Food Bank and Nourish Pierce County.
6. Shop at your local QFC — Support Together Against Hunger, a virtual food drive for Food Lifeline. KIRO 7 and QFC grocery stores are teaming up to help feed hungry families. There are many local food banks in the Puget Sound helping out families by providing meals and services during these tough times. Nonprofit Food Lifeline is the fourth-largest hunger relief service and provides meals to families across the country. You can donate online at the Together Against Hunger food drive at kiro7.com/together. For every dollar donated, Food Lifeline can provide five meals for people in need.
7. Make an appointment to adopt a pet — The Seattle Animal Shelters counters may be closed, but their adoptions are still possible! To keep our community safe and healthy, as well as to ensure permanent homes can still be found for our furry friends, animal adoptions are now temporarily available through a new appointment-based system. Visits can be coordinated so that social distancing guidelines are strictly followed. Schedule an appointment and find your forever animal today!