Last month, we kicked off our new blog series, Keeping Up with the Dundees, sharing Gracie and Lauren’s campaign to spread hope through stars. At the end of their campaign, their nonprofit organization, Small Acts Big Change™ (SABC), will put two large banners in hospitals thanks to participants from across our school and around the country. In addition to this campaign, the girls also coordinated 23 small scale clean-ups and removed over 3,000 pieces of litter off the streets and beaches of Los Angeles. June was a busy month for this family!
This month, the Dundees are focused on helping orphaned and injured wildlife by building nests and collecting supplies through “Save Them All,” a campaign they have been working on since the nonprofit’s inception in 2012. “All three of us have a special interest in the welfare of all animals,” explained Gracie and Lauren’s mom, Carolyn. To make an even bigger impact, Small Acts Big Change partnered with Squirrelmender Wildlife Rehabilitation, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, and the California Wildlife Center. Let’s dive right into how they are helping animals worldwide.
Making a Difference
From rescue missions to crocheting and knitting shelters, the Dundees do it all! They recently saved a peafowl chick and baby hummingbird in their hometown, but their hands-on action doesn’t start and stop there. From bottle-feeding squirrels to releasing sea lions back into the ocean, they are dedicated to helping out anyone, anywhere and any way. “The projects within this campaign change periodically as the world changes, and we try to respond to what is happening around us that creates need,” shared Lauren. Currently, SABC is creating nests and gathering supplies to send to their partner organizations that rescue and rehabilitate wildlife, including koala bears displaced by the wildfires in Australia earlier this year.
Nests are particularly crucial for animals to recover at rescues, providing warmth and security when they are away from their natural habitat. Gracie knows firsthand the impact and importance of handmade nests. “When baby birds and other wildlife are brought into rescues, they need to be kept warm in a soft place, preferably in something that resembles their nests in the wild. The crocheted nests that volunteers make for our campaign help orphaned and injured animals recover.”
In addition to making nests, SABC is collecting food, soap, blankets, and toys to share with their nonprofit partners. For example, toys are enriching for animals like chimpanzees, and heating pads warm and comfort a variety of wildlife. “Like many nonprofits, these organizations rely on the kindness of volunteers to help them gather the supplies they need to care for the animals they rescue,” says Carolyn. Luckily, there are so many ways to give and help, so how can you contribute?
Create and Donate
On their blog Make a Difference from Home, the Dundees share how to help wildlife without ever leaving your home. There are tutorials on how to knit and crochet nests using washable yarn, a pattern, and a few other tools to create sturdy but soft shelter for baby birds and injured animals in need across the United States and around the world (see the donation sites at the bottom of each blog post). Along with these how-tos, there are also plenty of no-sew blanket tutorials online that will provide these organizations with a much needed item to cushion and insulate their rescues.
Not feeling so crafty? You can also donate items off of SABC’s “Save Them All” Amazon wishlist. These items ship directly to SABC to distribute to their partners. See the list to the left for even more supply suggestions. These supplies not only help the animals at the rescues but support the people who are making a difference by volunteering at these organizations, as well. If you have questions, please contact Gracie and Lauren at smallactsbigchange@yahoo.com.
What Does August Have in Store for the Dundees?
As SABC is gearing up for this month’s supplies drive, they are still looking to what’s to come. With August’s campaign right around the corner, think about how the forest plays a role in fighting climate change and restoring habitats, and stay tuned to see what the Dundees have planned for our leafy neighbors.
