Around the world, bluebirds have a wide variety of associations and meanings, all of which carry positive connotations. Some believe the bluebird is a symbol of joy and hope; others, that good news will be arriving soon. For example, a salesman gets a commission from an order called in by a customer he never met. In a sense, that is a 'bluebird of happiness' for the salesman.

Similarly, a Bluebird Award to a grieving child can bring joy and hope. It can the the turning point in a child's life. In a sense, that child is receiving a 'bluebird of happiness.'

1. "Bluebirds are connected to the phrase “bluebirds of happiness.” For a very long time, they’ve been associated with the concepts of harmony, happiness, and joy. Additionally, they are well-known symbols of renewal, positivity, love, and hope as well. Bluebirds remind us to set ourselves free and not to give up on the beauty of nature that surrounds us."

2. "This reminds us that we should never lose our faith, even in our darkest hours. You have to hold on to the belief that everything will be alright.

3. Lastly, bluebirds represent the inner child that lives in all of us. These birds remind us that even though the world can be an awful place, you should never lose your innocence and kindness because they’re traits that make us better. These animals keep the negative energies at bay with their upbeat spirits.

Bluebirds for Kids is a project of Bluebird Awards, an organization dedicated to bringing joy and smiles to children through the power of Bluebird Experiences, aka Bluebirds. We help provide recreational opportunities for grieving children. Small acts of kindness brings joy to children and young people. We believe by spreading a little bit of happiness, we can make a big difference in the lives of Covid orphans who have lost one or both parents, step-parent or grandparents to the Covid pandemic.

COVID-19 and is having a devasting impact on Adolescent Mental Health.

"Adolescents are one of the vulnerable groups as they are experiencing this difficult time of transition along with their socio-emotional and physical changes." ...Innohealth Magazine.

September 21, 2020. Disruptions to society have a heavy impact on children: on their safety, their well-being, their future. Only by working together can we keep millions of girls and boys – including those facing poverty, exclusion or violence, and those upended by humanitarian crisis – healthy, safe and learning. " .. UNICEF

As the pandemic was raging throughout the world, those words from UNICEF are being played out as predicted. The Covid aftermath, though not in the news much these days is taking its toll on the mental health of children and teenagers.

Bluebird Awards aims to confront the crisis by offering life-changing positive experiences and paying for unibnsured mental health counseling. Prevention and treatment is key to making a difference.

A bluebird experience starts at the time a child or teenager realizes they are going to have the opportunity to fulfill their wish for way to pay for camp fees, extra-curricular activities, therapy sessions and so on for example. Hopefully the experience never ends when hope becomes reality which in turn continues to foment PMA, a Positive Mental Attitude.

In a sense ALL Covid orphans are eligible and invited to apply, HOWEVER, our Board of Directors had to consider our limited funding resources. Balancing the over 283,000 American Covid orphans (estimated based on one child for every four adult deaths) against our limited available funding, it was determined it best not to give false hopes.

Instead, initially, we decided to be selective in our Eligibility Criteria to favor healthcare workers closest to the battlefield meaning those who perished fighting a virus they could not see. Thirty two percent (32%) of all deaths in the first year of the pandemic were nurses, many of whom were single parents. So, nurses are first in line followed by other healthcare workers.

Obviously, as Bluebird Awards grows into a larger public charity, increasing our base of Sponsors will enable us to add staff. As we add staff to plan, organize and control our efforts, the organization will blossom into a fundraising machine. By conducting events, adding wealthy individuals and corporate sponsors and using a variety of fundraising platforms including social media. In particular, our twelve Donation Plans and one-time Donations will enable us to extend our reach beyond healthcare workers.

Our plan may seem robust for now, but the need is growing exponentially. We must plan now for a predictable future.

In truth, as of June, 2023, we are still learning how the non-profit world works. There are many potholes laying in wait for those of us who came from the for-profit world. We believe our mission to be honorable but in no way can we permit our compassion to compromise our personal integrity.

At the moment we are a non-dues paying member of The Association of Fundraising Professionals headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Our intention is to follow their guidelines:

"According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, there are three primary principles of nonprofit fundraising that underlie their stance on commission-based fundraising.

1. Donations are voluntary actions for a public benefit.

2. Seeking and accepting donations should not personally benefit the staff, contractors, or representatives of a nonprofit.

3. A donor’s trust and attitude towards the nonprofit can be irrevocably hurt by undue pressure and/or the awareness that a commission will be paid from his/her gift."

Code of Ethical Standards | Association of Fundraising Professionals (afpglobal.org)

We intend to become a member of of AFP in the near future.

In the meantime, Bluebird Awards has earned the 2023 Gold Seal of Transparency Award from Candid, GuideStar.

The short answer is NO. We can work with consultants on a fixed fee basis for a body of work agreed upon in writing or on an hourly basis with some stipulation on how hours will be approved. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Code of Ethical Standards forbids its members from working on a percentage basis because it is seen as a path to impropriety. “Members shall not accept compensation or enter into a contract that is based on a percentage of contributions; nor shall members accept finder’s fees or contingent fees.”

In accordance with the above, a Registered Volunteer can submit an email requesting permission to contact a prospective sponsor by name on a fixed fee basis. Fixed fees are paid in Thank You Points as covered by our Thank You Rewards Program. Volunteer Rewards | Bluebird Awards (mwsfund.org).

Thank You Points accummulate and are redeemable when the total reaches 5,000 points.

Reimbursement Policy

Based or prior approval our policy is to reimburse Registered Volunteers for necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred for authorized business. The intent of the policy is that reimbursement is fair and equitable to both parties and consistent with federal regulations. Individuals traveling on business are responsible for complying with our travel policies and should exercise the same care in incurring expenses as they would in personal travel.

• Approval Authority – Authority and responsibility for approving travel by employees and volunteers of the organization rests with me, Rod MIller, for the account/activity to which the expense is to be charged. An email request for reimbursement prior to travel should be submitted.

• Economical Transportation Required – To be fully reimbursed, the traveler must use the most economical mode of transportation available, consistent with the authorized purpose of the trip.

• Private Automobile

• Expenses Allowed – Bluebird Awards will pay a standard rate per mile for official travel by private automobile based on the actual driving distance by the most direct route. Organizations can use the mileage listed on Google Maps or other similar web tools as a guide to determine the mileage.

• Standard Mileage Allowance – The standard mileage allowance is in lieu of all actual automobile expenses such as fuel and lubrication, towing charges, physical damage to the vehicle, repairs, replacements, tires, depreciation, insurance, etc. The 2023 IRS Standard Mileage Rate is 0.655 cents per mile.

• Automobile-related Expenses – In addition to the standard mileage allowance, necessary and reasonable charges for the following automobile-related expenses are allowed: tolls, ferries, parking, bridges, and tunnels. Traffic ticket and parking ticket expenses are not reimbursed.

• Airline Travel

  • Lowest Available Airfare – Employees and volunteers traveling on business should travel at the lowest available airfare to accommodate the purpose of the business trip.

• Meals and Lodging

Registered Volunteers may be reimbursed for the actual costs of reasonable and necessary meals, lodging, and gratuities. Reimbursement of meals when there is no overnight travel are only paid when the meal has a defined business purpose.

We allocate 100% of all donations to fund Bluebirds for Kids awards. Our overhead expenses are covered by Sponsors and Volunteers. There are no salaried staff employees. Donate and Donation Plans cover all the details.

Bluebird Awards is unique in that we believe in complete transparency. Your donation intended to go to children and youth is tracked on our website: Bluebirds Awarded | Bluebird Awards (mwsfund.org)

That page contains a sortable database of donations greater than $100, so you have 24/7 access to see how we distribute funds.

NO, but it is wise to do so. Registered Volunteers (RV) have several benefits that can be of considerable value. Perhaps the most common benefit is the right to participate in our Registered Volunteer (RV) Thank You Points Rewards Program. The program is a performance-oriented approach to reward those who contribute their time and energy. Similar to many rewards programs offered by by businesses and credit card companies, Thank You Points are redeemable at BAZAAR, our "company store" or for cashing out at the 10,000 point level.

Outstanding RVs can enjoy upward mobility. As staff positions become available, RVs are first in line for promotion. See Directors/Staff | Medical Workers Fund (mwsfund.org) for currently unfilled staff positions. Scroll down to see opportunities shown as silhouettes.

The short answer is yes, BUT as a new charity born out of the recent pandemic, we are extremely limited in funding and able to serve just a few of 283,000 American Covid orphans. With limited funding, we are carefully helping out those most in need with a preference for healthcare workers living in Northeast Ohio. Single mother's who are nurses are most eligible as many nurses were lost at the peak of and during the pandemic.

Absolutely. The redemption plan accepts Thank You Points in this way: Minimum redemption can be 1,000 or more points above the 1,000 awarded as a Registered Volunteer. On redemption, an RV's name (if not anonymous) is placed on the Bluebird Report and shown as a Sponsor. When a Bluebird is awarded, the child's RV sponsor can see how the points are used. Obviously, out of privacy concerns the child or teen's name is not listed.

RVs can work anywhere ... online, home-based, while traveling, in short, anywhere. Our online, decentralized operating evironment enables productive RVs the opportunity to 'run their own show' so to speak. For a fledgling public charity facing an enormous mental health challenge, technology coupled with a changing workplace environment enables us to extend our reach virtually anywhere. Even worldwide as we identify partners in other countries sypathetic to our cause.

The opportunities are unlimited. As a fledgling charity born out of the 2020 pandemic, we are still getting our feet wet in the non-profit sector. Special expertise can be of immense value. Talented individuals capable in the areas of non-profit fundraising, grant writing, corporate giving, and event planning are extremely important to us now. We are open to proposals in those areas as independent consultants or as Registered Volunteers.

Please refer to FAQ #6 and FAQ #7 to get a feel for how we can work together. If interested in following up, shoot us an email expressing your interest. Type the Subject line in ALL CAPS, so we don't mess up and miss it.

We call our method of operation our "Online Decentalized Operating Environment" or ODOE. As such we believe the times dictate a modern approach to getting work done in ways most conducive to family happiness. At the executive level, ODOE is an experimental challenge but we are willing to give in a try. Pioneering a new management style from the get-go should be easier than moving from the old ways to a new way. The hybrid management style is evolving. We want to go all the way, meaning our key personnel can work anywhere.

Someone once said, "The world won't be right until everyone is on straight commission." In other words, earnings from work should be performance-based. To that end, our model is almost enirely based on individual performance. Top performers as Registered Volunteers wishing to be upward mobile just need to see our staffing page: Directors/Staff | Medical Workers Fund (mwsfund.org)

Currently, we are open to appointing Registered Volunteers to those positions letting their performance determine their right to remain in place. If interested, please copy and paste your resume in the message section of our contact form.

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