H is for Hancock Tower

As a confessed architecture geek, obviously I believe that "H" is for The (John) Hancock tower.

Completed in 1969, "Big John" was designed by architect Bruce Graham of famed Chicago firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. This 100-story beauty is 1,127 feet (343.5 meters) tall and a stunningly sleek example of modern design.


Once a year, brave (or crazy) participants are given an opportunity to climb all 1632 stairs to the 94th floor.  Hustle up the Hancock raises funds for a local respiratory health association. Kind of sounds like a bucket list addition to me... If you don't agree you could always just write a check and take the nation's fastest elevators up to the top instead. It only takes 39 seconds to get to the top!

To learn more about the Hancock tower and see the ONLY bathroom photos I will probably ever publish check out my previous post.

Does your bucket list include any outrageous fitness challenges?

8 Causes Worthy of Your Gift

If you've crossed every name off your holiday shopping list don't let that stop you from sending a few more gifts. These won't even need to be wrapped!

Why not send a gift or two to people (or organizations) who truly need your support?



On the eighth day of Christmas, I've gathered a list of 8 Chicago(ish) charities to support this season. Each of these organizations is doing fantastic work. Each has impressed me and touched my heart during our first year in Chicago.

1. Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (aka CAASE)

CAASE envisions a community free from all forms of sexual exploitation, including sexual assault and the commercial sex trade. CAASE addresses the culture, institutions, and individuals that perpetrate, profit from, or support sexual exploitation. Our work includes prevention, policy reform, community engagement, and legal services.

2. Joffrey Ballet Chicago

The Joffrey Ballet is a world class company with an exceptional history, presenting world-class ballet, dance education and community outreach. The Joffrey strives to bring the best dance to the biggest and most diverse audiences. Every dollar of your donation goes toward continuing this tremendous legacy and ensuring the future success of the company.

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3. Chicago Architecture Foundation (aka CAF)

Donations to CAF enable it to present originally curated exhibitions, architecture tours, lectures, and adult and youth education programs including family programming, to Chicago-area residents and visitors. Annnnnd, I might be a little biased.

4. Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago (aka LAF)

Each year LAF impacts 50,000 lives by providing free legal help to resolve non-criminal issues like domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. We make equal justice a reality and get people back on track. We rely on private donations to fulfill our mission.

5. Chicago Public Media

As a public media institution Chicago Public Media is deeply invested in the civic life and health of the community they serve. Their programs and services are dedicated to sparking meaningful connections between people; whether it is linking Chicagoans to the wider world or connecting neighbors that might not otherwise meet. (Plus they produce This American Life!!!)

6. Red Cross

The American Red Cross exists to provide compassionate care to those in need. It's a network of generous donors, volunteers and employees that share a mission of preventing and relieving suffering, at home in Chicago, in the United States and around the world, through several key service areas. Most recently they've been involved providing support for the people of Newtown, CT and the Sandy survivors.

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7. Chicago Public Library

The Chicago Public Library strives to provide equal access information, ideas and knowledge through books, programs and other resources. Our donations allow the library to support all people in their enjoyment of reading and pursuit of lifelong learning.

8. CARE for AIDS

This one isn't exactly a Chicago based cause, but it's one close to my heart, so I'm including it. CARE for AIDS partners with local Kenyan churches to operate life transforming centers that serve the physical, spiritual, economic, and social needs of men and women living with HIV/AIDS. They're doing good work, you guys.

Is there a cause or organization that you plan to give a gift to this season?

Unite to Rewrite

"Imagine you have lost your job. Your spouse has left you. Your family and friends have disowned you. You are left to live by yourself. Why? Because you have contracted a disease for which there is no known cure. A disease that your society despises and deems intolerable... Approximately 1.4 million Kenyans are HIV-positive and are in need of a life transformation, both physically and spiritually."

Being diagnosed with HIV has long been considered a death sentence by the Kenyan population. This is one reason why the primary aim of CARE for AIDS has always been to empower HIV-positive Kenyans to take control of their physical and spiritual well-being. CARE for AIDS is on a mission to spread hope.


Can I make a confession? I'm not a huge a fan of foreign mission work. Too often, I believe the trips become more about the missionary than the people they are meant to be serving. Go ahead, revoke my Christian card. Because of my prejudice, when I had the first opportunity to speak with Justin Miller, a co-founder of CARE for AIDS, I was skeptical. I was prepared to listen politely, learn a bit about the organization and move on.

That isn't what happened.

I was caught by surprise. CARE for AIDS and the work it is doing in Kenya has captured my heart and compelled my involvement. Here's why:

"We are proud that our vision is Kenyan born and Kenyan raised. Our role as American 

partners is to provide the resources to equip and empower the people of Kenya 
to care for their own. As long as CARE for AIDS exists, there will always be Kenyans 
running the ministry on the ground."

Source: careforaids.org via CARE

The CARE for AIDS centers in Kenya serve the physical, spiritual, economic, and social needs of men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Each center serves 80 individuals at a time and they have seen 1,735 graduates since 2008.

So when offered the opportunity to partner with CARE for AIDS in their current rewritten campaign, I jumped at the chance.

They've set a goal to raise $24,000 by January 1st. The money will be used to open the 16th center in a slum outside of Kisumu.  Kisumu is the most highly infected community in Kenya, and there are nearly 1,000 people on waiting lists to join the centers there.



Haven't you loved all the "thankful" posts on Facebook in preparation for Thanksgiving? What if we add a few "giving" posts to round out the holiday preparation? Raising $24,000 in a few weeks is a big goal to reach, but I believe it is possible with your help. Will you join the campaign with me?

Raise Money | Raise Awareness | Raise Your Voice

Please join me by getting involved in one of three ways - or hey, all three ways would be great too!

1. Make a financial donation: It's simple. Just click here and lend your support. 
2. Share the #rewritten campaign on social media. Visit the rewritten resource page for ideas to share on your blog, Facebook or Twitter. 
3. Send a personal message to your community. CARE for AIDS has created an email template that you can adapt and personalize to ask others to get involved.

Let me know how you choose to lend your support!

Thank you in advance for your generosity and participation.

Give10 Spotlight: Sole Hope

It all started with a YouTube video. The graphic and heartbreaking video exposed Asher Collie, the founder of Sole Hope, to the truth about Jiggers. Jiggers are small sand fleas that burrow into bare feet and if left untreated cause infection, paralysis and occasionally amputation. Jiggers, Collie learned, are a common problem among Ugandan children who often live their lives without adequate protective footwear. After watching the video, a seed was planted in Collie's heart. Nurtured by Collie's passion for the widows and orphans of Zambia and her own self confessed shoe addiction, the seed blossomed into Sole Hope. Sole Hope is a not for profit organization who's mission is "to offer HOPE to widows, orphans and others within impoverished and forgotten communities around the world by teaching the simple trade of shoe making which provides jobs and shoes to those in need." Collie saw a need, and now Sole Hope is working to meet it.

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What I love about Sole Hope is that it started in Africa (Uganda and Zambia) but has transitioned into a project here in America too. African widows aren't the only people struggling to support their families. And they certainly aren't the only people who can benefit from learning a trade. I love that Sole Hope expanded their ministry and is working with men and women in Asheville, North Carolina too. According to their website, "This is creating a sense of pride because they are not only changing their future with the income they are making; they are making a quality shoe that protects children's feet."

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But what about the shoes? Well, they are pretty much totally adorable. Not only is Sole Hope doing "good" they are doing good with some style. Plus, the soles are made of recycled materials. Sole Hope promises their shoes are 96% recycled and 100% handmade. If that isn't further reason to fall in love, I'm not sure what it's going to take to convince you.

There are several creative and easy ways we can join in Sole Hope's mission. The first and most obvious way is to make a financial contribution. Sole Hope hooked me when I read that, "a $10 donation means that a child in Uganda or Zambia will get a pair of closed toe shoes." {It's like they knew about #give10 or something... hmmmm} Perhaps you'd like a wee one in your life to own a pair of these adorable kicks? Well, Sole Hope has an online store. There's a warm fuzzy in knowing that proceeds from your purchase are going to protect a child's feet, isn't there? Another fun way to get involved would be to host a shoe cutting party. Sole Hope will provide you with everything you need to cut out a batch of shoe "uppers" that will be turned into life changing product. You can order a packet with instructions from their website. But right now, the simplest way to support Sole Hope is to Vote. Cultivate Wines is giving away $50,000 and Sole Hope could use your help to win the money. With a few simple clicks every day, you can make a huge impact. Just click HERE and then click "Vote for This." It's really that simple.

Need more convincing?





Sole Hope Promo 2012 from jason garris on Vimeo.

Sole Hope is just one of the organizations to inspire us during our #give10 project. 

For a complete list of recipients visit my #give10 page 

or click here to learn more about the project and its inspiration.

If there is an organization you'd like to see included, please, let me know.

A Give10 Update

Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago 

In December I jumped on board the Give10 train and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. If you missed my full explanation here, let me give you the quick and dirty. Each day the handsome hubby and I have agreed to follow the example set by Stephanie over at wanderingzito.com and give $10 to an organization that is working to change the world for the better. Initially it was to be a project that lasted throughout the month of December. But, we've enjoyed it so much we've kept it going into 2o12.

In the midst of all this giving, I've had the pleasure of discovering a whole slew of new organizations doing some pretty phenomenal work. By taking part in, what Stephanie calls, micro giving I'm able to support a plethora of causes and use my small voice to make their work known to others who might not be familiar with each organization. Using my wallet and voice are simple ways to support those who are doing the truly heavy lifting.

I bring this up today because Stephanie, my giving guru, is one week away from completing her year long Give10 project. To celebrate, she's recruiting others to join her for the last week. Sound intriguing? She was also kind enough to publish a little blurb that I wrote about how I got involved in Give10. I encourage you to head over to wanderingzito.com and maybe even jump on board the giving train! Just watch out, this micro giving is addictive stuff.

To keep up with my daily giving and find links to each day's recipient hit the "like" button at A Foreign Land on Facebook or check out my brand new #give10 board on Pinterest.

Be Aware

Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness day.

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Be Informed: Slavery Footprint offers users a glimpse at how their consumption habits are connected to modern-day slavery.

Use your voice: Update your Facebook status, write a blog post, tweet using #TraffickingAwarenessDay

Make a contribution: Polaris Project, Somaly Mam, Wellspring Living or the anti-trafficking organization of your choice (there are an abundance out there...)

Although the problem seems enormous, many hands make light work.

A Season for Giving

Hear ye, hear ye, I have declared December to be a month filled with giving. Okay, so maybe it wasn't originally my idea to focus on giving in December. But go with me here. Maybe it's all the Christmas spirit floating around in the air. Perhaps it's the unadulterated Chicago excitement coursing through my veins. But no matter what it is, I'm feeling incredibly and undeniably generous. I've had plenty of opportunity to recognize how fortunate I (we) are lately and I'm itching to spread a little bit of the goodness around.

So I have another idea that wasn't originally mine.

Recently I was introduced to this really cool, world traveling, entrepreneurial chick named Stephanie. Stephanie is a hammock loving, idea woman who has a dry sense of humor and whips up a mean pumpkin pie. I only had the pleasure of spending one evening with her but I will admit to shamelessly cyber stalking her a few days later. What I discovered is that she's also a humanitarian at heart. I couldn't help but be incredibly inspired by her ten dollar experiment. On her blog, wanderingzito.com, she explains, "I often tell people that 10$ can make a difference to help a cause." In the face of what might be considered an overwhelming variety of causes to care about and support, Stephanie decided to take her own advice. In March of 2011 she decided to give ten dollars to a different charitable organization each day. She liked the project so much she's been doing it ever since.

What a great idea, right? Well, I did tell you that Stephanie is an idea woman. I however, am less of an idea woman and more of joiner. So I'm taking her idea and running with it. I intend to use December as a month for charitable giving with a twist. Each day this month I'll find a new charity and donate at least ten dollars. Since yesterday was World Aids Day I kicked things off by sending ten dollars to support a World Vision organization that provides Business Loans for AIDS Affected Women. According to the blurb on their website, "As the loans are repaid, they are recycled to help other women and children!" That means my small donation will be multiplied. It's hard not to love the thought of that.

I'm looking forward, over the next month, to having my eyes opened to just a few of the countless organizations making a difference in our world. Compiling this list of 31 worthy organizations will undoubtedly be the best "Christmas gift list" I've ever put together.

Anyone else feeling inspired to join in the #give10 project?