I've Got Something to Say

As a woman living in the United States, it's frustrating to see the inequality apparent in my gender's healthcare access. I am not going to stand on a soap-box here and rant about feminism, or women's rights. What I am going to do is talk about the disappointment I felt upon discovering that the Susan G. Komen Foundation decided to cut funding for breast cancer screenings that were being provided to millions of women through Planned Parenthood.

I consider myself to be an engaged community volunteer, and advocate for women's health.  I donate money to organizations whose mission it is to provide healthcare access to women, especially if they are reaching under or uninsured communities, or serving populations in developing countries.  I serve on boards, committees, and donate my time to helping local organizations such as The Midwife Center, Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh Affiliate, and Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania further their missions.  Because their missions are ones that I am passionate about, and that I believe strengthen the community I live in.

I was happy serving and supporting these organizations, but upon learning of Komen's decision to pull funding for cancer screening from Planned Parenthood, I was shocked and severely disheartened.  Komen's mission is to eradicate breast cancer. The best chance women have against breast cancer is early detection.  How pulling funding from this imperative screening, is in line with eradicating breast cancer is a mystery to me. I cannot see how this decision from the Komen Foundation will do anything except harm the women who were dependent on these services, and as I believe strongly in women's access to healthcare, I have pulled my support, and resigned from the YP advisory board of the Pittsburgh Affiliate of the Komen Foundation.

I really like the staff at the Komen Pittsburgh affiliate. They said they understood and respected my decision, and that the affiliate would be working to ensure that women and men continue to have access to cancer screening. It must be a difficult situation for the Komen affiliates around the country, not being involved in this decision making, which came from the National Office. Still, I feel that this move directly contradicts their mission, and so I am out.

I know that Planned Parenthood is a controversial organization, and a politically charged topic.  However, I cannot help but think that most of those who oppose it, are largely misinformed of the services the organization provides, or the benefits it brings, not just to women, but to men as well.  As someone who has used Planned Parenthood's health services, and supports the work that they do, I am determined  to stand with Planned Parenthood. Access to healthcare should be a human right, not a privilege.

How to Host a Fundraising Brunch

Chef Carrie, presides over the delicious spread.

Here are some things I know to be true:
- Brunch is the greatest meal invented
- Entertaining is fun
- Volunteering is sexy

It should come as no surprise then, that I said "yes!" without hesitation when my close friends Regina and Carrie asked if I would be interested in hosting a brunch at my apartment to fundraise for Planned Parenthood.  After all, what with the government threatening to shut down, I'm happy to support them in any way I can.

Regina and Carrie hosted a brunch last fall to help fulfill their fundraising commitment to sitting on PPWP's board, and it was so fun and such a success, we decided to do it again.

Brunch is so exciting, jazz hands were obviously in order.

The thing is, hosting a brunch is a really easy way to fundraise.  It's low stress, low pressure, and low cost for both you and your friends that you invite.  If you ever want to raise some fast cash in a couple hours to help support one of your favorite organizations, I would definitely recommend hosting a brunch.  

Here's what we do:

We supply the food and beverages.  We invite our friends, and invite them to invite their friends.  We collect $20 per person who comes, and we donate the proceeds.  We all have fun.

Like any good kid raised by Midwestern parents, the coffee maker went on at 7:30 and didn't turn off until well into the afternoon.  If you're an experienced entertainer, perhaps you already have a large caterer-style coffee urn.  I do not. (yet) But I do have a carafe, so am able to have 2 pots of coffee hot at any given time.  Also, use mugs.  We had paper products for everything else, but coffee tastes better out of a mug.

Enlist lots of help:

Eric made sausage patties.

Bethany made Sangria.

Regina was taking pictures.

Brunch has some lovely beverage options.  We offered:

Mimosas!

Bloody Marys!

And of course, the aforementioned coffee and sangria.

I made waffles.  This waffle iron was a wedding gift to my parents.  I took it with me when I moved to Pittsburgh.  More than 30 years old, and it's one of my favorite small appliances.

And of course, what I consider to be central to any successful gathering.  The cheese plate.

But, what really made the day a success were these guys:

And these folks...

And all of them.

Big THANK YOU to everyone who came, cooked, hung out and supported.  We had a blast, and of course, can't wait to do it again.