Actors for Autism caught the attention of us here at the Hummingbird House Foundation due to the fact that it combines two causes we’re passionate about: theater and the special needs community. After reading about Actors for Autism through www.backstage.com, we thought that we’d share a summary of the incredible work this community is doing with our readers today.

Actors for Autism, established in 2004, states on their website that the organization “formed on the belief that all children need to be able to obtain the supports and services needed so that they can live as integrated members of society.” They go on to say that currently, “Actors for Autism is comprised of thousands of families worldwide who have had their children participate in [their] programs.”

This non-profit offers a variety of programs for young adults with autism including a film making program, a video game design program, a customized employment program, and a social skills program. Each of these not only allows individuals with autism to make friends and become involved in a community, but it allows them the chance to explore their passions in the filmmaking and theater industry. Actors for Autism has four locations based in Westlake, Beverly Hills, the NoHoArts District, and Glendale. Young adults on the autistic spectrum have the opportunity to come and experience the highly competitive world of Hollywood on a track that’s designed and paced for them.

Collins, a parent of a young man who participated Actors for Autism, said, “My son is a different person now that he has been in AFA’s social skills program. We are so grateful that Travis now has friends!”

Another parent, P. Steinberg, commented, “Our daughter was never able to attend her school dances. Now she goes to every dance and actually dances the entire night. Actors for Autism has made this possible.”

Currently, Actors for Autism is hosting a Hollywood Filmmaking Academy for Teens, a Voice Over Program, and an Employability Skills Workshop in addition to their regular programs. The organization also supports the Robby Slomann Scholarship Fund wherein individuals who cannot afford the program might have a chance to participate.

If Actors for Autism is a cause that you find yourself resonating with, there are several ways to get involved. First, they accept volunteers. Those who are able to commit to at least one four-hour shift each week for six months are welcome to apply. Also, Actors for Autism gladly accepts helpers who are willing to host an event such as silent auctions or 5K runs and walks. Finally, if you’re feeling called to donate, you can access their donation page at https://www.actorsforautism.org/donate-afa.

If you’re interested in reading more about the work accomplished at Actors for Autism, check out their website gallery, subscribe to their Youtube channel, or visit one of their social media sites on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

With all that’s been in the news lately surrounding immigration and refugees, we at Hummingbird House thought it pertinent to share an organization making a difference by serving those who are displaced. On the American Refugee Committee (ARC) website, they say, “Refugees share with us what they need, and we work together to create programs that make the most sense for that particular community.”

ARC, around for over 35 years, provides assistance to refugee communities. Started in 1979 by Neal Ball in the wake of atrocities occurring in Southeast Asia, the committee began by opening refugee camps in Thailand offering medical and public health services. Since then, the ARC has grown to support worldwide projects in areas such as agriculture, gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS treatment, small business and vocational training, and sanitation services. Currently, the ARC is working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jordan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, and Uganda.

Historically, the ARC has been active in Pakistan since the 1980s. Pakistan has been an epicenter for civil unrest for decades. Many Pakistani citizens fled their homes after the Soviet invasion and the oppression of the Taliban. In addition to invasions, Pakistanis living in northern Pakistan were subject to a massive earthquake in October of 2005 and monsoon flooding in July 2010. Because of these disasters, millions of people from this area have only known life in camps for years. In response, the ARC traveled to the Middle East to provide primary health care to tens of thousands of displaced individuals. In addition to providing clean water, food, and shelter, members of the ARC work to dig wells and latrines, provide mobile health clinics, educate about AIDS/HIV, and even organize youth clubs and activities to prevent frustration in the camps.

Another notable accomplishment of the ARC in recent years has been attempting to understand the effect they’ve been having in measurable ways. On their “Breakthroughs” page on their website, they state that they are working on case studies to gain a “deeper understanding of co-creating with new people and experimenting with new solutions.”

The ultimate vision of the ARC is to ensure that “every person who participates in an ARC program or project will have a better chance to take control of their life and achieve self sufficiency.” As a charity that rates highly (96.46 out of 100) on Charity Navigator, the committee is trustworthy, legitimate, and worthy of attention and donations. (The ARC has also received high ratings from Reader’s Digest, Money Magazine, GiveSpot.com, and Charitywatch.org.) If providing assistance to refugees is on your heart, consider donating to the ARC by giving at http://arcrelief.org/ways-of-giving/.

In the capital city of Croatia, there is a nunnery that opens its doors to children who have been displaced. Ranging in age from infant to adolescent, these children have been given a family despite the Croatian War of Independence that left many individuals in destitute circumstances in the 90’s. Though the war is over, its effects still breed joblessness and poverty for many Croatian citizens. For those parents who are unable to provide for their children, the sisters at St. Theresa’s (ages 0-7) and St. Joseph’s (ages 8-18) Orphanages in Zagreb gladly open their arms to welcome any child in need of a home. Here, these children are looked after, provided for, and most importantly, loved.

Sonja Brown, the International Program Director for MLJ Adoptions Inc., visited St. Theresa’s Orphanage in 2008. There, she met an 18-year-old young woman who had resided at the orphanage with her siblings for years after her mother was tragically struck by a car. Because this young woman and her siblings had no family or connections in Croatia after escaping the war in Bosnia, they were taken in at the orphanage. Despite the pain and suffering this young woman experienced due to the passing of her mother, she declared that she was well taken care of and was given love and guidance in addition to food and shelter. Sonja remembers this young woman saying, “I believe that all children deserve a home and a loving family.”

Clearly, this safe haven is filled with angels. Sister Kristina Piskovic, the director of the orphanage, shares several thoughts about the nature of the sisters who act as caretakers of the children to the Croatian World Network.

“There is a lot of love here in our house, and a lot of happiness,” she wrote. “The sisters are all young and we have the energy to love the children like they were our own. We wish to make their childhood as nice and carefree as possible.”

Although the sisters have copious amounts of love to give, they experience a shortage of money offered by the Croatian government. Unfortunately, this lack of support makes it extremely difficult for the orphanage to run a successful program for the many children they house. St. Theresa’s Orphanage benefits almost solely from the donations of benefactors.

Don Wolf, the creator of the St. Theresa’s and St. Joseph’s Orphanages GoFundMe fundraiser, recently shared that donations made will help to build a new kitchen, common dining room, and chapel. Furthermore, the funds given will help to provide a safe and healthy environment for all children and help the sisters prepare them for life in a country with a 20% unemployment rate.

If you’re interested in lending a helping hand to this cause and making a difference in the lives of these orphans, please visit the GoFundMe fundraising page at https://www.gofundme.com/stjosephscroatia.

The future of providing aid to impoverished populations is now bright with Solight Design, a company that makes sustainable home lighting products. Their most popular product, the SolarPuff, is reshaping people’s mindsets about the future of providing light to those in need.

Alice Min Soo Chun, the founder and CEO of Solight Design, invented the SolarPuff after being inspired by the designs of origami. The SolarPuff is a foldable solar-powered light that lies flat when compact. Inside, there is a solar panel, a lithium ion battery, LED bulbs, and a polyethylene terephthalate material that helps to inflate the cube. This material, called PET material for short, is recyclable and non-toxic.

The SolarPuff is ideal for anyone in need of light around the world due to the fact that it can provide up to 8 hours of light on the high setting after being charged in sunlight for 5 hours. It is able to provide enough light – 90 lumens, to be exact – to help people accomplish small tasks such as chores and reading a book.

On Solight Design’s website, their mission statement is to “provide lights to those who need them most. There are over 1.6 billion people who have no access to electricity and clean sustainable lighting, something most of us take for granted.” They donate 10% of online sales to supply lights around the world through NGO partners. Some of these partners include organizations that provide light to orphans in Haiti, refugees in Syria, and villagers in the Cameroon rainforest.

Another country that received the gift of light from SolarPuffs in 2016 was Greece. In a mostly Muslim refugee camp near Mt. Olympus, numerous families live in tents after escaping genocide in Iraq. In August of 2014, an Isis-led massacre left 5,000 men dead and 3,000 women captured as sex slaves.

Although the people living in this camp have dark stories, they now have physical light by which to see in a place without electricity. The SoLight team delivered 1,000 SolarPuffs to excited refugees.

As the SoLight Design Company continues to spread love around the world with the gift of light, they welcome any help they can get in distributing SolarPuffs to those in need. Donating is made easy on the SoLight Design website where you can choose to help send light to Nepal, Haiti, Syria, Ghana, Senegal, Ecuador, Cameroon, Liberia, or a new place that is special to you. All tax-deductible donations are made to FAARM, a 501(c)(3) organization.