(NewsUSA) - May is National Foster Care Month, and the Marine Toys for Tots Program continues to expand its support beyond the holiday season to deliver emotional comfort and gifts to children living in Foster Care.

Children living within Foster Care face tremendous uncertainty, often lacking a permanent, nurturing family to love and guide them in their formative years.

Toys for Tots’ initiative, Champions for Those in Foster Care, provides toys, books, and other gifts to foster children with the assistance of local organizations across the country. “These children often leave their homes with only a small plastic bag of their belongings. Marine Toys for Tots wants to give Foster Care children not only something tangible to take with them as they move, but also some tools and hope for a brighter tomorrow,” says LtGen Jim Laster, CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. 

These children are placed temporarily in group homes, residential care facilities, emergency shelters, and supervised independent living homes. Toys for Tots provides resources that help these children during extremely stressful and trying times with the goal of reducing their anxiety and making a positive impact in their lives.

In 2022, the Program joined forces with Houston County, Georgia, Toys for Tots Coordinator, Wendy Chadwell, to distribute bookbags filled with toys, books, and school supplies to foster children in the local area. This initiative was the kickoff of Toys for Tots’ newly established Foster Care initiative that would support children living in Foster Care year-round.

Wendy has a strong connection with the Foster Care system—she serves as the Child Protective Services (CPS) Administrator for the Houston County Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) year-round. Wendy’s DFCS connections along with her volunteer work as the local Coordinator gave her a strong platform to host the first Foster Care distribution event. She and volunteers in Houston County packed over 400 backpacks and distributed them to local District Foster Care Coordinators that represented eleven surrounding counties and directly provided the backpacks to the children in the local Foster Care Program. “[I was honored] to take on this type of responsibility and tackle this endeavor. The counties have been very appreciative, and the foster parents have been even more appreciative, as well as the kids,” Ms. Chadwell recalls.

This initiative highlights how Marine Toys for Tots is a year-round force for good, positively impacting children beyond the holiday season. In 2022, the Foster Care initiative supported over 447,000 children in the Foster Care system.

In 2023, Toys for Tots will provide toys and books to children living in Foster Care throughout local communities across the Nation – to include Buena Park, CA (assisting approximately 400 children); Quincy, IL (assisting approximately 400 children); Mt. Laurel, NJ (assisting approximately 200 children); and Tucson, AZ (assisting approximately 2,100 children) – as part of the organization’s year-round support to children in need.

These events are part of Toys for Tots’ commitment to empowering children in Foster Care and supporting their foster families throughout the year to renew their hope for a brighter future.

Visit toysfortots.org to donate today and become a force for good for children living in Foster Care!

(NewsUSA) - California avocado season is officially here, with fresh delicious fruit available now through summer. From smoothies and salads to dips and desserts, everyone’s favorite California avocados are packed with flavor and nutrients, a versatile must-have ingredient for your springtime meals.

In celebration of the new season, the California Avocado Commission encourages consumers to experience all that California avocados have to offer, while sharing some knowledge along the way. To ensure you make the most of this delicious fruit, CAC is rounding up the top five things to know about California avocados, so you’re prepared all season long:

1. Although you may see avocados in stores all year round, it’s important to know that California avocados are only available from spring through summer
2. Look for California on the label to ensure you’re enjoying locally grown California avocados. And if you can’t find conventionally grown California avocados, don’t forget to check the organic section!
3. Locally grown California avocados are meticulously cared for by about 3,000 growers and picked at their peak, resulting in fruit that is consistent in taste and texture. Since they are grown close to home, California avocados go from tree to table in just a few days
4. California avocados are a sodium- and cholesterol-free heart-healthy superfood. The greatest concentration of beneficial carotenoids is in the dark green fruit of the avocado closest to the peel. To get to the heart-healthy nutrient-dense fruit directly under the peel, peel the skin from the avocado, instead of scooping. Learn more about CAC’s “nick and peel” method here
5. From salads to desserts, CAC’s website offers unlimited access to unique and versatile recipes featuring in-season California avocados, such as this Dungeness Crab Stuffed California Avocado recipe and this Strawberry, Watermelon, Avocado and Mint Smoothie recipe, perfect for the warmer months

“We’re all pros when it comes to eating avocados, but knowing where to find California avocados and understanding the benefits of buying local are the first steps to a consistent experience,” said Terry Splane, vice president of marketing of the Commission. “We hope you find these tips helpful the next time you’re shopping for California avocados, and we encourage you to take advantage of fresh, in-season California avocados to help elevate every meal for any occasion.”

For additional tips, tricks, delicious recipes, avocado nutrition and more, California avocado enthusiasts can visit CaliforniaAvocado.com.

(NewsUSA) - Homeowners are facing the latest post-COVID reality resulting from the confluence of two mounting trends that together threaten to financially and physically “put the squeeze” on families in increasingly crowded households nationwide.

Recent 2023 research from the National Association of Realtors uncovered a “Post-COVID Surge in Multigenerational Home Buying,” citing multi-generational buying is back near an all-time high exceeding 1 in 10 homes purchased – at 15% for first-time buyers and 14% for repeat buyers. 

Plus, there is increased demand due to our post-pandemic “hybrid home” dynamic. According to the recent EY Future Workplace Index, 87% of employers reported that most or all employees worked from the office pre-pandemic versus just 29% today.  

The good news is that families can prevent a utility bill blitz by following a few simple tips. With home heating and cooling accounting for more than half (54%) of home energy use, small steps can go a long way.

• Leverage the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act:The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act is a landmark legislation that encourages Americans to transition towards a new era of energy efficiency and decarbonization. It offers households tax credits for related improvements that save money in the long run, such as highly efficient heating and cooling appliances like heat pumps. Households can claim a tax credit for 30% of the costs of buying and installing a heat pump, up to $2,000 including support for any electric system upgrades needed to make the home heat-pump-ready. 
   
• Ease Into Electric: According to Columbia University’s Earth Institute, electric systems are a solution to decarbonize home climate control.  Among the most energy-efficient heating and cooling products, electricity-powered ductless mini-split systems, offered by companies including Fujitsu General America, can save as much as 25% on energy bills. Mini-splits use thin copper tubing to pump refrigerant from an outdoor compressor directly into an indoor air-handling unit, where the air is qui­etly distributed to the interior space.
   
• Get “Smart" About Climate Control: When it comes to home tem­perature control, there are Smart HVAC Systems and Smart Thermostats. Smart HVAC systems have built-in Internet capability and can be controlled directly without additional equipment. Smart Home Thermostats create “smart” sys­tems by enabling remote temperature control via a mobile or Internet-con­nected device or voice-operated home automation system. 
   
• Voice Your Preference: Most HVAC manufacturers offer apps that enable systems to be controlled from anywhere using a mobile device. Voice-control capability uses digital assistants, like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, to ver­bally dictate home temperatures. Easily controlling the temperature allows homeowners to be more comfortable and improve energy savings.
   
• Find Your Efficient Comfort Zone: Many of us live in homes designed for bigger families but have yet to downsize. If you find yourself using a fraction of your home, consider upgrading to a zoned ducted, or ductless system, allowing you to save energy heating and cooling spaces where you don’t spend much time. You’ll multiply savings by needing less cooling and gaining a more efficient system in the spaces you use.
   
• Try Low-tech Fixes: Try to use heat-producing appliances – stoves, irons and dryers – at night or early morning.  Switch to LED light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs – which consume 90% more power. Seal air leaks around windows, doors, and places where pipes and wires come through walls. Check existing caulking and weather-stripping for gaps or cracks.

Promote multigenerational hybrid home harmony this season with a climate control system that will keep your family cool without tempers heating up.  To learn more or find a contrac­tor nearby, visit www.constantcomfort.com.

(NewsUSA) - With the onset of spring and summer weather, peak motorcycle riding season is underway across the United States. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is promoting the “Expect Us, See Us,” slogan to alert motorists to the increased presence of motorcycles.

Motorcycle-related traffic fatalities, along with all other types of traffic fatalities, increased dramatically from 2020 to 2021, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“The NHTSA data may be from 2021, but distraction, speeding, and driving or riding while under the influence continue to be problems today,” says Rob Gladden, vice president of training operations for MSF.

“However, these are all things we can change,” Gladden adds. “May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and we want to call attention to how smart, attentive driving and riding behaviors can save lives.”

The MSF offers the following safety tips for drivers and for motorcyclists to help reduce accidents and fatalities and to keep everyone safe on the road.

Tips for car and truck drivers:

-Look out for motorcyclists.  Car and truck blind spot detectors aren’t perfect. During the spring and summer months, expect that you will share the road with motorcycles and scooters. Use your eyes and mirrors.

-Stay focused. Put down the phone while driving, and don’t be distracted by passengers, pets, or other in-vehicle activity.

-Use turn signals. Many drivers fail to signal when changing lanes. Signaling alerts motorcyclists as well as other drivers.

-Give space. Don’t get too close to riders; they need room to maneuver and adjust to road conditions.

-Don’t litter. Tossing anything out of a vehicle endangers motorcyclists riding nearby.

Tips for motorcycle and scooter riders:

-Be seen. Wear bright riding gear and a light-colored helmet. Always have your headlight on, day and night, and flash your brake light when slowing and before stopping if possible.

-Assume others don’t see you. Stay hyper-aware and notice details in your surroundings. Use the Search-Evaluate-Execute (SEE) strategy to respond to assess hazards.

-Dress the part. Wear proper riding gear from head to toe—it can save your life. Full-face helmets provide the best protection, and jackets, pants, gloves, and boots that are made for riding will generally be made of abrasion-resistant material and provide additional comfort and protection.

-Follow the rules. Riding respectfully — and legally — creates a safer environment for everyone.

-Check your bike. Before every ride, do a pre-ride check to look over tires and wheels, check fluids, cables, chassis, lights, electronics, and stands. Use the T-CLOCS inspection checklist to help you.

Share these safety tips with others using the hashtags #SeeMotorcycles and #ExpectUsSeeUs.

Safety booklets, tips, and other reference guides are available at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website, msf-usa.org.

(NewsUSA) - Wildflowers Never Die by Randall Howlett and Deb Turnbull DeVries

This book chronicles the first 30-year history of the Cold War from a third-party narrative perspective but also follows the careers of five key CIA agents involved in various world hotspots during that time period.

First-hand accounts and true stories are included not only by the agents but also others, allowing the reader to fully experience those tumultuous decades -- decades that began with the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War and ended with the fall of Vietnam. To a lesser extent, the authors recount their own experiences growing up as members of the Cold War generation. Purchase at https://bit.ly/44y4Km5.

No Stone Unturned by Nadean Stone

Told with humor and suspense, this is an inspiring, triumphant memoir of courage and perseverance against all odds, proving the miraculous and happy ending we can achieve when we never give up.

Between 1945 and 1973, about 350,000 unmarried Canadian mothers were persuaded, coerced or forced into giving their babies up for adoption. Many babies, like Nadean Stone, were illegally given away for a nominal donation to the church.

“No Stone Unturned” follows the author’s 44-year search for her birth mother. With no records of her birth, she battles against the frustration of bureaucracy and the unbearable pain of many heartbreaks. Fearful events unfold that propel her on a captivating journey of seemingly insurmountable personal challenges, as she strives to make a whole life with a fractured sense of identity. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3F572wV.

The Walls of Lucca by Steve Physioc

An inspiring, absorbing and suspenseful story of friendship, faith, love and loss in a tumultuous time in European history. When Franco, a weary Italian soldier who’s seen some of the worst of World War I, stumbles onto the Martellino vineyard, he’s looking for work – and not love. But he finds much more with Isabella, the feisty young woman who works there.

Franco pours himself into the vineyard, trying to create a wine that will save it from financial ruin and rescue him from his dark memories of war. But it’s not easy when Mussolini's evil shadow continues to loom over Italy. It’s even harder when Susanna, the vineyard’s matriarch, invites that shadow to the vineyard with her involvement in Fascist politics — and one very sinister political operative. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3DzY0s2.

Innocence Denied: A Holocaust Childhood by Johannes Krane

During what was known as the “Hunger Winter” of 1944-45, thousands of Dutch citizens were literally starving to death under the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Ten-year-old Johannes Krane and his older brother Dick lived in a small town northwest of Amsterdam. Their parents were both deaf and mute. How would their family survive the cruelties of the Nazi occupiers and life in the streets?

There was no answer but to support their mother's efforts to trade on the black market and steal from businesses and the authorities – perilous activities, punishable by death. This memoir chronicles the haunting experiences of a boy who survived to save his family through cunning and desperation, thus being robbed forever of a happy childhood – an innocence denied by the evils of war. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3lOULqV.

BookTrib’s Bites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - By the time you read this article, three people will have had a stroke and one will die. Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States, impacting nearly 800,000 people each year, with a quarter experiencing another stroke within five years. Despite the prevalence of stroke, 80% are preventable with a combination of medication and healthy habits.

This May, during National Stroke Awareness Month, knowing the signs, symptoms and treatment options are key to getting the care needed quickly and potentially preventing another stroke in the future.

Signs & Symptoms

During a stroke, every second counts as 1.9 million brain cells are lost every minute. Receiving treatment quickly can reduce the brain damage caused by stroke. Knowing the signs and symptoms can help you BE-FASTER!

• Balance: Sudden loss of balance
• Eyes: Sudden blurry or loss of vision
• Face: Sudden numbness, one side drooping – can you smile?
• Arms: Sudden weakness in arms - can you raise both arms?
• Speech: Slurred or mumbling speech
• Time: Call 911 immediately
• Emergency Response: Get to the ER by ambulance. They know what to do FASTER!

High blood pressure, heart disease, atrial fibrillation (AFib), diabetes and smoking are all risk factors for stroke.

Preventing a Second Stroke

In the U.S., more than 2,000 people each day have a stroke, and one in four are recurrent strokes. While treatment plans vary, long-term heart monitoring can be a helpful tool in identifying underlying risk factors, such as AFib, which is often asymptomatic and can significantly increase the risk of stroke. In fact, clinical studies have found that, in more than 78% of stroke survivors, AFib would go undetected if monitored for only 30 days.

Yet, findings from a recent sampling of real-world stroke survivors released by the patient advocacy group United Stroke Alliance, with support from Medtronic, found nearly half (43%) of stroke survivors did not receive any form of heart monitoring, potentially leaving them vulnerable to a second stroke.  One-third of stroke survivors received some form of short-term heart monitoring, while only 6% were given an insertable heart monitor for long-term, continuous monitoring.

During National Stroke Awareness Month, visit Unitedstrokealliance.org for more information and resources from the United Stroke Alliance, and to learn more about the connection between AFib and stroke, as well as long-term heart monitoring, visit medtronic.com/StopStroke.