The 4th of July is almost upon us and the boys and I will be taking the annual summer trip home to Wisconsin to be with the family which includes: grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and the extended group we aren’t quite sure how we are related to, but consider to be family anyway. I have always felt most fortunate to have a close-knit family and it is one thing I wish everyone had. In the spirit of July unity, I present a very patriotic group that is working to assist children all acorss our country.

This week’s pick: The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has a unique philanthropic priority – “to provide other nonprofit organizations with the means to educate the public about the special needs of children across this nation.” You must be a non-profit with the potential for helping American children to be eligible to apply.

The Foundation prefers to grant to applicants who can affect the welfare of children in a large geographical area. Grants amounts in 2007 ranged from $5,000 to $64,000. Click here to access more information on the submission process and to connect to the online application. Deadline for applications for the next granting round is July 15, 2008.