What's beauty worth?  We know a tanned body is a more beautiful body. Err....at least that's what Hollywood and the fashion industry tells us! Your skin is 'sun-kissed' when it's tanned.  Your body 'glows.'  Your pores seem to diminish and alas you have that 'radiance.'  

Well the Skin Cancer Foundation says:

Go with your own glow!

And I couldn't agree more. 

I saw my mother get a skin graft due to Skin Cancer.  They surgically removed the cancerous area and got extra skin from another part of her body to 'patch it up.'  As it is, my mother is fair skinned with pre-existing dermatological issues.  She did all she could to stay safe in the sun but the damage had been done!  

We like to think we're invincible but honestly, let's look at the Skin Cancer Foundation facts.

• Ultraviolet radiation (what's projected through an indoor tanning bed) is a proven human carcinogen (an agent that causes cancer), according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  If that won't make you stop indoor tanning, I don't know what will!
• Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
• About 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

I love the sun just as much as the next person but it's important to be preventative as the sun peaks out a little more.  

I saw the above advertisement in another blog post and thought it was pretty genius!  Simple, but effective!  

Stay safe out there!

- Lizette Romero

Whether it is a convenience from identity theft or "going green" for a user -- AT&T is sticking to their sustainability commitment by challenging users to go paperless for their bills!

AT&T has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees in return for those who opt out of paper bills.

Their goal? 1,000,000 users = 1,000,000 trees

I guess "going green" doesn't have to be such a big lifestyle change after all. Are you an AT&T user? Take your part in the challenge here!

-Amy Chait

I was checking the latest tweets, and came across Charity Water's feature of Shane Mac who gets to challenge the foundation's founder in Ping Pong once he raises $5,000.

And cannot agree more with his point of view that's worth sharing:

I spend over $5 a day at Starbucks when I can drink water for free. When I heard that there are one billion people who don’t have access to clean water I decided to skip my coffee today and give the cost of that one drink to build a well. Think about if you gave the cost of your coffee today, tomorrow, or even for the entire week? Imagine the difference we could make by giving up something that we don’t even need… How many people can you find to skip their coffee today and come together for an amazing cause?

Support Charity Water on YourCause!

The story of charity: water - The 2009 September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

-Amy Chait

In a continual effort to support Haiti, there are several low-cost efforts that can make a big difference!

I came across Buckner International from a friend who was hosting a shoe drive to benefit orphans in Haiti, and thought it was worth sharing because the shoe drive is a simple and impactful way to give back (not to mention an opportunity to Spring clean your closet).

Click here to learn how to host a shoe drive that helps provide orphans in Haiti with essentials, and can also support this initiative on YourCause!

- Amy Chait

I can't stress enough how much the YourCause platform goes beyond fundraising to deliver the most premier nonprofit campaign tools. In an effort to continually enhance the community experience for nonprofits and users alike, YourCause.com has created two new functions within the charity page: 'Needs' & 'Volunteer Opportunities.' Nonprofit administrators, supporters, volunteers and donors can now access and/or upload individual nonprofit needs that may expand beyond dollar signs such as tangible items like tools and canned goods! In addition, each nonprofit administrator has the ability to upload volunteer opportunities directly within their charity page, which populates in their page’s feed and the YourCause community volunteer page.

But that's not all.  We are pleased to announce that our global reach has expanded!  At YourCause.com we now accept international donations in an effort to pursue our mission to empower millions to raise billions.

These are exciting times at YourCause and we'd love for you to join in the fun.

If you'd like to view our full press release click here.  

If you'd like a walk-through of our newest features feel free to email charity@yourcause.com to schedule an appointment.  We'd be more than happy to show you how to use our tools most efficiently!

- Lizette Romero