Welcome to Our Tithe page, where you can find information on the 12 local and national Non-Profits that we are committed to donating 10% of each months profits to. To donate or find more information there are web links provided for each organization.
January
As January often keeps people indoors to stay out of the cold in Wisconsin, Ian has selected Wisconsin Public Radio as the Tithe for this month. Since 1917 WPR has broadcasted across Wisconsin, offering news, weather alerts and public service announcements to it's listeners. Now operating 37 radio stations, WPR is an important part of many Wisconsin resident's daily lives.
For programs, donating or general information, visit WPR's website at https://www.wpr.org/.
February
To help make the beginning of the year warm and fuz- er, furry, Kaleb (much to Scout: the Shop Dog's joy) has selected H.E.A.R.T., or Help Every Animal Rescue Team of Decorah, IA for the February Tithe. As Cody, Ian and Kaleb are all proud parents of rescued pets, it is our pleasure to offer them our donations for the month as they collect and re-home pets in their area.
To see their list of pets that need new homes, or to donate to their cause, visit https://www.heartrescueteam.com/.
March
Nearing the end of winter, and entering the refreshing nature of spring, we could all use a bit of a mental break (especially here in the Midwest!). Accord, our non-profit of the month, selected by Cody, can offer just that! With an amazing mission of helping those with mental and physical ailments achieve a higher quality of life, Accord aligns perfectly with our values.
Accord offers Adult Foster Care programs, Home Health Services, employment opportunities for those with psychological and physical hindrances among many other services in specific regions of Minnesota!
To support their cause or to learn more about what Accord does, visit their website at http://accord.org/.
April
As this month is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Ian has selected one of his non-profits to be RAINN, or Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (the nation's largest anti-sexual assault program). RAINN offers education to all, and assistance to victims, regarding sexual assault and rape.
Visit their website for more details at https://www.rainn.org/
If you, or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault or rape, PLEASE call the free, confidential national hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673).
May
To celebrate spring, Kaleb would like to commit this month's Tithe to the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition. In a world ever-growing, expanding and becoming more industrialized, we find ourselves lacking in individuals educated about the environment. Iowa Conservation and Education Coalition, or ICEC, is committed to equipping those that love the environment with the tools to success to teach others about caring for the earth.
As our trades here at Bear Hand Customs revolve entirely around resources derived from the earth, our members take every opportunity to harvest materials in an ecological, economical and sustainable manner while always Bearing recycling in mind. As we commit a portion of our proceeds to ICEC, we hope to see a lasting impact made by their organization that cultivates environmental conservation state-wide.
Visit their site, https://iowaee.org/ for more details or to donate!
June
This months Tithe goes to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, selected by Ian. Remembering our childhood, raising our own chickens and produce to keep our large family fed was a norm for us, and because of that we never went hungry despite being low-income. Second Harvest places emphasis on making sure that underserved children and low-income families receive the food that they need to live healthful, sustainable lifestyles and without fear of going hungry.
Second Harvest Foodbank has been instrumental in Southern Wisconsin in combatting hunger through the Covid-19 pandemic, offers classes on diabetes and health awareness, and also has a mobile pantry to reach the hard-to-reach areas and surrounding communities.
For more information or to donate to their cause alongside us, visit https://www.secondharvestmadison.org/.
July
Based out of New Hope, Minnesota, Can Do Canines certainly lives up to the town's name! Cody has selected this non-profit for July because of the immense impact that service dogs can make on a person's life. Can Do Canines offers service dogs that assist those who suffer with hearing loss, mobility challenges, seizure disorders, type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and childhood Autism!
As difficult as the everyday tasks of life can be for anyone, Can Do Canines is committed to training and finding the perfect fit for all of their service dogs to help reduce any burden possible for those afflicted by the aforementioned disorders. At Bear Hand Customs, we are so grateful to be able to help support these amazing volunteers and service animals with every sale, in the hope that we can assist in creating a more fulfilling lifestyle for all.
For more information, donating or to apply for your own assistance animal, visit https://can-do-canines.org/!
August
To commemorate the birthday of a friend, brother and soldier taken from us too soon, Kaleb has elected to commit August's Tithe to Stop Soldier Suicide. This group, founded in 2019, seeks to bring awareness, education and prevention to service members who struggle with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or who intend or have attempted to commit suicide.
Serving 1,400 service members so far, it is Stop Soldier Suicide's hope to shed light on the increased risk of depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and other factors that culminate in suicide, and to assist those in need away from "the edge." According to Stop Soldier Suicide's site, Veterans are at a 50% higher risk than their peers to commit suicide, those still serving and those who have put away the uniform for good.
Because of the often difficult situations and experiences had by Veterans, and the difficulty of assimilating back to civilian culture when they leave the service, mental health and wellness for Veterans is a huge issue for the population. With our donations, we hope to assist Stop Soldier Suicide to help those in need as quickly as possible.
If you struggle with mental health issues as a Veteran and are seeking resources, or to help donate to their cause, visit https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/. If you are not a Veteran, but struggle with similar issues, please don't hesitate to dial and call "988," the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Hotline.
In Memoriam:
SPC Cole Hamilton, Cavalry Scout, U.S. Army
August 30, 1996-September 11, 2018
You are missed, brother.
September
As part of Baby Safety Awareness Month, Ian lifts up St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for this month's Tithe. St. Jude leads the country and world in research, treatment and prevention of catastrophic diseases in pediatric patients.
Visit their website at https://www.stjude.org/ to assist in their fight or for more information.
October
Since October is Cody's birthday month, he is overjoyed to be able to elect One Tree Planted as the non-profit that we donate to for the month. As a man that has worked first-hand combatting woodland wildfires, Cody appreciates the simple motto of this non-profit: One dollar plants one tree. As forestry, fire and pollution have impacted the earth's forests globally, One Tree Planted has taken steps to help improve air quality, and replace trees in areas previously forested or burned.
Working in multiple countries and continents, One Tree Planted would like your help to continue their mission of making the world a greener place, one tree at a time. As we donate a portion of our proceeds, we would love if you would donate alongside us to bring more life to our planet! Visit https://onetreeplanted.org/ for more information or to begin planting trees!
November
Kaleb has selected a very special non-profit for the month of November. To bring awareness to National Veterans and Military Families Month, the selected non-profit, Retrieving Freedom Inc., fits the bill perfectly. As Kaleb is a current service member, and Ian also served in the past, Retrieving Freedom Inc. holds a special place in our hearts here at Bear Hand Customs by placing highly-trained service dogs into the homes of Veterans and children diagnosed with behavioral disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Retrieving Freedom Inc., although based out of Missouri, operates a facility in Waverly, Iowa and has made a substantial impact on Veterans and children alike with their service dogs. The dogs are trained for two years before being given to their new owners, and trained to meet the need of their specific handlers rather than following one, single training program.
For more information, to donate to their cause, or to see if you might qualify as a recipient of one of their service animals, visit https://www.retrievingfreedom.org/.
December
The final non-profit that we support here at Bear Hand Customs is particularly special, as our entire family is from the great state of California (Kaleb is the only Iowa-born). For the month of December, we are donating our 10% to California Community Foundation's "Wildfire Relief Fund."
Having an aunt and uncle lose their home in California a few years back due to wildfire, and seeing our cousins in law enforcement spending countless hours of overtime keeping people safe in the last years of terrible fires, Cody felt that this non-profit is perfect. Offering assistance to those affected by these catastrophic fires, the CCF's Wildfire Relief Fund seeks to bring peace to those experiencing so much heartache, from losing a home to relocating.
For more information or to help support those in need who are affected by the thousands of wildfires in the state of California, visit https://www.calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund/?fbclid=IwAR1FzO7DDzN-Hd5uXjSitp5fAeRaNbxNZrGtWas2WZpGzjf1dXaPwLVuBVk.