Giving Thanks

I love Thanksgiving. I love everything about it -the crunchy leaves beneath our feet, the sound and smells of a kitchen at work, making a list of the things I’m thankful for (baseball, the men and women in military service, my parents, America), the company of friends and family while retelling old stories, and of course the food!

A great writer once called Thanksgiving the “one day that is ours … the one day that is purely American.” On this day we gather around to enjoy a feast to end all feasts, surrounded by those we love to share our gratitude for all that we have.

As President Obama said in his remarks during the annual turkey pardoning ceremony, we also need “to be mindful of those who have less. Let’s appreciate those who hold a special place in our lives, and make sure that they know it.” It’s that very sentiment that inspired a young woman to create a solution that gives back to those in need.

Eva Radke. (Photo from HelloGiggles)

In this special Thanksgiving edition of “Women Working to Do Good”, our friends at HelloGiggles profile Eva Radke, the founder of a not-for-profit organization that is creating socially responsible and sustainable solutions from media industry waste. In the story the author writes:

Eva trusted her gut instincts, and she could immediately see that F.B.R. filled a much needed niche focused on creating solutions to prevent waste and pollution.

Let us trust our gut instincts even beyond the feast of Thanksgiving to turn a problem into a solution and improve the condition of the community around us. You’ll be thankful that you did!

Read more about Women Working to Do Good

• Showing Up in a Big Way
• Art Cart in the Big Apple
• An “Eco-Renaissance” Woman
• Teachers We Love
• Growing Community in Chicago
• Wonder Woman in the Los Angeles Volunteer World

Ronnie Cho is the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.