Originally established on June 23, 1939, the Coast Guard Reserve was a civilian volunteer reserve tasked with promoting maritime safety, law compliance assistance, and supporting active duty Coast Guard forces.  This act was passed to promote safety on the high seas and the nation’s navigable waters, particularly after an uptick in boating accidents and calls for assistance for the United States Coast Guard after the invention of the single-operator motorboat and outboard engine in the 20th century.  This original Reserve was non-military and formed by unpaid, volunteer U.S. citizens who owned yachts or boats. 

Research shows that practicing kindness, compassion, and empathy for others as well as for yourself can increase happiness by promoting a sense of belonging and improving confidence. In the Challenge America community, we see amazing acts of kindness every single day and that is what makes our community such a special, safe space. 

A musical genre fusing soul and contemporary R & B with elements of jazz  hip-hop, and gospel, neo-soul took the world by storm in the late 1990s.  Neo soul differed from contemporary R&B with its use of live instrumentation, bypassing  the” sampling” techniques R&B had adopted from hip hop music.  Often sounding more “soulful”than contemporary soul and R&B, it usually contains deeper messages and meanings.

The Military Sisterhood Initiative is celebrating the monthly theme of “Heart Happy” this month. Today, we’re excited to share an article put out by the American Heart Association titled “Be the Beat.” This article features a playlist featuring songs that are the appropriate beats per minute to do CPR.

Riley B. King - known to us as B.B. King - was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, shaping Blues and R&B music as we know it today.  His hits like “The Thrill is Gone,” “3 O’Clock Blues,” and “Don’t Answer the Door” have made their way into our ears time and time again, but how much do we know about the man behind the music?

Have you heard the phrase (or maybe said it yourself) “You almost gave me a heart attack!”? Turns out, your emotional and mental health can affect your physical health, specifically your heart.

Rosa Parks Day celebrates the achievements of the fierce African-American activist often known as “The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” 

Last week, we celebrated National Pie Day and today, we turn our attention to National Chocolate Cake Day. We will continue the celebrations with a slice of true decadence and a great debate…

In the spirit of exploring “New Possibilities” in 2024, what better way to try something new than to explore a new cuisine?  Learning new recipes can be a twofold way to strengthen your creative muscles - not only are you learning new culinary techniques and skills, but you’re expanding your palate, as well!

Do you have one of those little voices in your head that helps you make decisions? Or maybe encourage you? Or discourages you? These inner thoughts can help you through your everyday life, but they can also drag you down and contribute to poor mental health. By working on your inner thoughts and what that inner voice says, you can promote a better outlook on your life, yourself and boost your self esteem.

Have you ever thought about your creativity as a “supply,” something you have to be sparing with in order to not run out?  I have to admit, this is the way I’ve conceptualized the act of creating at times; often using it as an excuse to not sit down and exercise my ability to create.

The new year is a time of reset and restart. One area that many choose to reset and restart is in their finances. Because of the rise in prices within our economy, it has become even more important to many to budget and monitor their spending. There are many ways to budget, get into a financially better place and monitor spending, but here are some fundamentals that many financial experts agree with. 

Tomorrow, we celebrate the literary arts by commemorating the 215th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. There isn’t another writer who has the ability to evoke such a profound sense of horror quite like Edgar Allan Poe, the revolutionary master of the macabre, romantic poet, originator of the modern detective story, and literary giant.

Today we celebrate with gratitude and pride, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - a man who served this country by boldly dreaming of a better future for all people. 

The New Year is a perfect time to use music for inspiration; perhaps by compiling a new playlist, learning a new song, or writing a piece of music that makes you feel hopeful.  Our theme this month is “New Year, New Possibilities,” and today we are honing in on music centered around new beginnings, working toward new goals, and feeling the hope of a fresh start.

Many people think of the new year as a new start in many areas of their life. This week’s post is about organizing spaces in your home and spaces in your life to help you have the best 2024!

Did you know that in addition to making your space more beautiful, houseplants actually have superpowers and can boost your health and well-being? 🪴 We have all heard that there are many psychological benefits to spending time outside, but with winter 🌨️ in full swing, houseplants provide us the opportunity to bring a little nature inside, especially if you live somewhere cold! 

As we prepare for the amazing things in store this new year, many of us are setting goals and creating resolutions, particularly in the realm of our art.  Each new year comes with the opportunity to try new things and enter into new possibilities - a “fresh start.”  With that, however, often comes the phenomenon of setting a goal that is quickly left behind, or “breaking” a resolution that you dreamed up on December 31st. 

From our team to you and yours, Happy New Year! 🍾 Through another year around the sun, the Challenge America community has remained a safe haven full of inspiration, support, and creativity. 🎨

As we reflect on 2023 and look towards a new year full of new opportunities, we invite you to join our vision this #GivingTuesday to transform lives with the gift of music to Veterans nationwide.