50 for 50 Day 48: National Park Foundation

Yosemite National Park

It’s my 50th Birthday Celebration, Day 48. What is this? Well, because I feel so lucky and have pretty much everything I could ever need, I am asking people to get involved with charities, if they are so inspired, in lieu of any fabulous birthday presents you were planning on sending me (or not).

I am featuring a different charity every day for 50 days leading up to my 50th birthday to give you plenty of chances to get involved. I started on May 18. I wanted to give a voice to different good works around the globe. If you ARE inspired to take action, please leave me a comment and let me know that you did. This is all I want for my birthday – to spread some love and kindness. One thousand thanks.

Happy Fourth of July! Today’s organization benefits what documentarian Ken Burns calls “America’s Best Idea” – our national parks. The National Park Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports our great national parks. Why do we need a charitable organization to do something our tax dollars are supposed to do? Because you know how it is – there is plenty of tax money for bombers literally worth their weight in gold, but little to support our natural heritage that is enjoyed by millions of people every year (ok, end of political rant).

400 national parks cover and preserve 84 million acres for future generations and are some of the most beautiful places in the United States. I’m not sure how many I have been to…Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon, Crater Lake, Lava Beds, Lassen, many of the national monuments in DC, Bryce Canyon, Devil’s Postpile, the Presidio, Golden Gate, the Grand Tetons, Illinois & Michigan Canal, Joshua Tree, Pinnacles, San Francisco Maritime Historical Park…I have a long way to go!

I know that some of the most breathtaking spots I have been to have been in national parks. It is hard to have a bad day in Yosemite or out on the Channel Islands. Our country’s history and natural beauty are preserved and protected in these places.

Donation page here. You can also make your vacation more meaningful by volunteering in a national park!

San Miguel Island, Channel Islands National Park

The Washington Monument and National Mall


Yosemite Valley

I started early (that’s me in the diaper). I believe this is Kings Canyon.
Previously featured organizations:
Paradigm Project
ONE
Lupus Foundation of America
Scholarship America
Media Matters for America
Boys and Girls Club
Your Local Food Bank
Girls for a Change
Operation Smile
Wheels for Humanity
National Security Archive
Books for Africa
Seed Savers Exchange
MAP International
The Fresh Air Fund
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Arghand
Impact Personal Safety
Kristin Brooks Hope Center
Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
Light Up the World Foundation
Planned Parenthood
Doctors Without Borders
Heifer International
Team Rubicon
Kiva
The Carter Center
Bikes Not Bombs
Friends of Maddie
ProPublica
Surfrider Foundation
Livestrong
United Through Reading
Operation Shower
The Liz Logelin Foundation
KidSave
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Kids Vs Global Warming
Help a Mother Out
Direct Relief International
WriteGirl
Accelerated Cure for Multiple Sclerosis
Women for Women
Epic Change
Amnesty International