Significant natural disasters are more and more common these days. It's as though no place on Earth is immune from our changing global climate patterns. Whether it's wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and California, tornadoes or blizzards in the Midwest, or hurricanes and flooding in the South and on the East Coast, it can sometimes feel like there's a disaster somewhere every day. 

We're often asked by our caring clients, "What can we do to help?"

In the wake of Hurricane Ian in 2022, we put together a resource list for those interested in supporting organizations that were on deck to help. This week, we felt called to do the same in the terrible aftermath that is still unfolding over a week after Hurricane Helene trounced the Florida Big Bend and flooded communities from Virginia all the way to Georgia. 

Here are some tips and vetted nonprofits that can use your financial support right now. If you're interested in helping, you can donate directly to these organizations. Every little bit helps.

We know you might be thinking, "But isn't it better if I send supplies or travel to these locations to give my time to help people?"

The answer is an unequivocal NO. 

Officials never advise travel to hard-hit locations. This strains infrastructure and resources when communities are already struggling.
 
Sending supplies causes similar logistics challenges, and unless you know specifically what a community's needs are, your gesture of support may not hit the mark. 

The best thing we can do to help is donate our dollars to worthy causes working on recovery.

Donate to These Nonprofits to Aid Hurricane Helene Victims
These organizations are good options for year-round donations, along with disaster-specific support. Check them out and give wherever your heart calls you to!
​

• American Red Cross - general assistance
• Mercy Chefs - food and beverage support
• World Central Kitchen - food and beverage support
• CARE - cash assistance to victims
• Direct Relief - medical aid
• Mutual Aid Disaster Relief - grassroots support
• Save the Children  - support for babies and children's needs
• Humane Society - show the animals some love

If you know of any other resources that we should list here, please leave us a comment.

​If others ask you to support an organization, do your homework and make sure that they have good ratings from nonprofit watchdogs Charity Navigator and Candid (click below).

Remember: when disaster strikes, we all have to take it one day at a time and hold onto as much gratitude and humanity as we can. We are resilient when we stand together and support each other like the big human family we are. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Melbourne, FL (August 14, 2019) – Virtual accounting firm Blue Fox has partnered with donor management software provider Bloomerang to provide educational content to nonprofit organizations in the area of financial management. Alike in their missions, these companies provide back office services to nonprofits and charities; Blue Fox offers bookkeeping, payroll, and tax preparation, and Bloomerang’s platform focuses on fundraising support and donor management.
 
The first publication, How to Wow at Your Next Board Meeting: 4 Tips for Meaningful Money Conversations, written by Blue Fox CEO Chantal Sheehan, is now available at www.bloomerang.co. It can also be accessed through Blue Fox’s blog at www.yourbluefox.com.
 
Blue Fox CEO, Chantal Sheehan said, “The majority of resources available to nonprofit leaders are dedicated to marketing and fundraising. And while those are important, it’s also vital for nonprofit executives to build financially sustainable organizations. There are not enough professional resources out there dedicated to nonprofit fiscal management. Blue Fox aims to change that as we share our expertise. We thank our partners at Bloomerang for giving us another platform.”
 
In addition to their guest editorial for Bloomerang, the Blue Fox team regularly publishes on their blog at www.yourbluefox.com/nonprofit-social-enterprise-financial-blog. Article topics range from the importance of kindness in leadership to QuickBooks tips specific to nonprofits to how to get a clean audit.
 
For more information about Blue Fox call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.
 
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ABOUT BLUE FOX: Blue Fox provides customized financial and back office services for social impact organizations (nonprofits and social enterprises). Services range from standard bookkeeping and payroll services, to coaching and consulting, to full-blown virtual CFO services. The Blue Fox mission is to disrupt the traditional accounting model through technology, innovation, and a radically client-focused approach that truly empowers nonprofits and social enterprises. For more information call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.

Melbourne, FL (July 1, 2019) – This week, virtual accounting firm Blue Fox announced its recent accreditation by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Central Florida. As a BBB Accredited Business, Blue Fox is dedicated to promoting trust in the marketplace. 
 
Founder of Blue Fox, Chantal Sheehan said, “More than anything, we value building trust and camaraderie with our social impact clients. It’s a true honor to receive the BBB Accreditation. Our team is fully committed to maintaining the highest standard of ethics and service.”
 
According to BBB reports by Princeton Research, seven in ten consumers say they are more likely to buy from a company designated as a BBB Accredited Business. BBB is a resource for the public providing objective, unbiased information about businesses.
 
BBB Accredited Businesses must adhere to BBB’s “Standards of Trust,” a comprehensive set of policies, procedures and best practices representing trustworthiness in the marketplace. The standards call for building trust, embodying integrity, advertising honestly and telling the truth, being transparent, honoring promises, being responsive and safeguarding privacy.
 
The Blue Fox brand is fairly new to the social impact accounting services scene. In 2018 they rebranded from the name With Balance and began to offer a wider breadth of services beyond consulting, education, and coaching. Services include bookkeeping, payroll, consulting, tax preparation and full-service virtual CFO. Following the company’s rebranding, their revenue tripled confirming the need for this unique combination of services in the social impact (nonprofit and social enterprise) space.
 
Blue Fox is currently accepting new clients for onboarding fall 2019. Onboarding typically includes one month of high-touch communication and is reserved for one or two clients per month.
 
For more information call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.
 
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ABOUT BLUE FOX: Blue Fox provides customized financial and back office services for social impact organizations (nonprofits and social enterprises). Services range from standard bookkeeping and payroll services, to coaching and consulting, to full-blown virtual CFO services. The Blue Fox mission is to disrupt the traditional accounting model through technology, innovation, and a radically client-focused approach that truly empowers nonprofits and social enterprises. For more information call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.
 
ABOUT BBB: BBB’s mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB is the preeminent resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses and charities. Contact BBB Serving Central Florida at 407-786-9008.

If you’ve been following along with our blogs and posts this spring, you know that I was energized and inspired at two national conferences this year, NTEN's Nonprofit Tech Conference and Cause Camp by Nonprofit Hub. One common thread in the programs of both was the power of storytelling and video.
 
Now obviously, storytelling is not a new concept, but I was surprised that even now in the age of YouTube it seems that folks are still trying to figure out how best to execute and leverage its power. Then I got to thinking: Could video and storytelling be something we use at Blue Fox?
 
Those of you who know me well know that I’m passionate about educating and empowering others. But you also know that I dread being in the spotlight. So what’s a girl to do?? Apparently putting my “big girl pants on” is involved! ;) So here we go – we’re launching a YouTube channel (that we hope will reach more than 12 people) to get all the stuff that’s in our pea brains into yours.
 
Tell me: what do you want to see me ramble about online? What do you think would be useful content for you and your team – nonprofit or for profit – to see? Come on – don’t be shy. Tell us what you think!

Ready to have your mind blown? Go ahead and Google “The Future of FinTech”. Half of what you read might sound made up. And, no, the interwebs are not speaking Dothraki. Terminology like Blockchain, Ethereum, Insuretech, and robo-advisor are all real.

Any Scrabble junkies want to pull out the dictionary and challenge us? Go ahead. Just know that new technology may take over before Merriman Webster can crank out a new print edition.
 
Constant change in the financial technology space can overwhelm small businesses, especially those in the nonprofit and social impact space. But rest assured that Blue Fox is hip to the newest developments in nonprofit financial management technology. We stay up to speed on innovations in the FinTech space so that we can provide you with the most useful and reliable technology tools out there.
 
Here's a sampling of our favorite back office technology solutions for nonprofits, social enterprises and small businesses:

• Bill.com – Automates and simplifies the way you pay bills, send invoices, and get paid. Electronic vendor payments and a perpetual audit trail are our favorite features of this revolutionary platform.
• Box - Secure collaboration with anyone, anywhere, on any device.
• Defendify - Streamlines multiple layers of cybersecurity through a single platform, ongoing guidance, and expert support.
• Divvy - The all-in-one expense management solution.
• Hive - The only project management platform for hybrid work, shaped by users. 
• Intuit QuickBooks Online – With over 5.6 million global users, QuickBooks Online breeds efficiency, accuracy, collaboration, organization, automation and oversight over all aspects of your organizations financial picture. Bank-level encryption, payroll processing, and the ability to integrate CRMs and project management apps make QuickBooks Online the leader in small business accounting software. 
• Gusto - One place for payroll, benefits, and so much more.
• Citrix ShareFile – 100% secure file storage with 24/7 file accessibility. Dropbox, Box, and Google Drive are good solutions, but Citrix security, encryption, and granular user privileges are unrivaled in the cloud storage space.
• JustWorks - Simple software + expert support for payroll, employee benefits, HR services, and compliance.
• LastPass - Password Management from Anywhere
• UltraTax CS - Professional tax software for tax preparers and accountants.

 
The core of our Blue Fox philosophy is the marriage of technology and humanity – that’s why our tagline is Agile Accounting for Impact. We believe that the right mix of automation and human-touch makes all the difference. Just ask our clients! If your organization feels the same, we want to work with you! Don’t hesitate to call us at (321) 233-3311 or book a free consultation with us today!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                 Contact: Chantal Sheehan, CEO
                                                                                                                                                 Phone: +1 (321) 233-3311
                                                                                                                                                 Email: [email protected]
 
BLUE FOX LAUNCHES PROTECTED BY LOGO
A Symbol of Financial Stability and Credibility for Accounting Clients
 
Melbourne, FL (February 4, 2019) -- Virtual accounting firm Blue Fox recently announced the launch of the Protected by Logo, a symbol of financial stability and credibility for their social impact accounting clients. The Blue Fox team encourages their clients to include the logo on their website and printed financial statements that are shared with management and boards of directors.
 
Founder & CEO of Blue Fox, Chantal Sheehan said, “Our team at Blue Fox excels at helping our clients become true stewards of the resources they have. Now, it’s time to help them communicate their high-level of financial excellence with their constituents. The Protected by Logo does just that.”
 
The Blue Fox brand is fairly new to the social impact accounting scene. In 2018 they rebranded from the name With Balance and began to offer a wider breadth of services beyond consulting, education, and coaching. New services offered include bookkeeping, payroll, consulting, tax preparation and full-service virtual CFO. Following the company’s rebranding, their revenue tripled confirming the need for this unique combination of services in the social impact (nonprofit and social enterprise) industry.
 
“As our company continues to grow, my personal goal is maintaining our consistent high-touch, high quality client care. We will continue to innovate, challenge the status quo, and encourage and empower our clients, through tools like the Protected By Logo, to help them lead positive change in their communities,” said Sheehan.  
 
Blue Fox is currently accepting new clients for onboarding early summer 2019. Onboarding typically includes one month of high-touch communication and is reserved for one or two clients per month.
 
For more information call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.
 
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ABOUT: Blue Fox provides customized, boutique financial and back office services for social impact organizations. Services range from standard bookkeeping and payroll services, to coaching and consulting, to full-blown virtual CFO services. The Blue Fox mission is to disrupt the traditional accounting model through technology, innovation, and a radically client-focused approach that truly empowers nonprofits and social enterprises. For more information call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.

Just about 10 years ago, I was brought to a dinner party by a good friend. By way of introduction, my friend announced that I was visiting from Vermont where I was in grad school. Someone said, “Grad school in Vermont? With all the hippies up there?” My friend replied, “Yep, she’s a Tree Hugger!”
 
I remember bristling at the time, both because I worried the crowd wouldn’t respond well to the Tree Hugger label, and also because I never really thought of myself that way. (Truth be told, I bristle at pretty much any label applied to people – labels are for food and packages. Not for humans.) But I realized later that being called a Tree Hugger was actually a critical moment for me. From that point on, I started to embrace my innate passion for nature, conservation, ecology, and protection of our natural resources.
 
When I was a little kid, I was outside as much as I could be, especially after we moved from my birthplace of New York to North Carolina (mountains!) and then later to Florida (beach and climbing oak trees!). I was one of those kids who always came home filthy and was sent straight to the bath. I used to run around the woods by our house barefoot, delighting in the feel of grass and earth between my toes. I played outside in the rain constantly and stared out the living room window whenever a thunderstorm put on a lightning show for, in my mind, my own viewing pleasure.
 
My parents brought me up with a keen sense of respect for and love of all that nature has to provide. As I grew up, one of the only clubs at school I joined and actually liked was the Ecology Club. We studied the weather and hosted coastal cleanups around the Tampa Bay area, where I made collecting trash on the beach into a competitive sport.
 
I suppose that deep down it just always made sense to me that we should be the guardians and stewards of our Mother Earth – that if we fail, we will ultimately become extinct, or at the very least, homeless.
 
The fact that so many of my fellow Earth-dwellers simply do not accept their responsibility as caretakers and stewards of the planet drives me absolutely nuts. With all the data and scientific tools we have today, we know – we KNOW – that we are:

• Drowning in our own trash
  • Americans throw away their body weight in garbage every month on average
• Ignoring the effects of climate change and the security risks it poses, never mind the risks to life and property
  • The US Department of Defense has something to say about it, and it’s not good
• Recklessly polluting our water, air, and now (because we can?), space (NASA has to track space waste now!)

 
Needless to say, I continue to be a passionate advocate for the work done by conservation and environmental education organizations around the country, but especially at home here in Florida. As Den Mother at Blue Fox, I proudly support a focus on service to nonprofits and social enterprises that operate in these arenas. From electronic recyclers to conservation organizations to environmental engineers, each of these Blue Fox clients play a critical role in safeguarding and protecting our natural resources. We are honored to serve them and help magnify their impact in a small but meaningful way.
 
If you’re considering making a charitable donation this holiday season, please: send some (or all!) of your dollars to a nonprofit that you trust to make an environmental impact. The global focus on environmental improvements since the first Earth Day in 1970 are impressive! We can accomplish big, great things when we put our political and financial will to work for a cause.
 
I am a Tree Hugger – there’s no denying it. Question is: are you?

____________________________________________________________________________________

Author:  Founder & CEO, the Original Blue Fox, Chantal Sheehan, MS, CFP(r)
​
Company Info: Our team at Blue Fox provides customized, boutique financial and back office services for social impact organizations. Services range from standard bookkeeping and payroll services, to coaching and consulting, to full-blown virtual CFO services. Our mission is to disrupt the traditional accounting model through technology, innovation, and a radically client-focused approach that truly empowers nonprofits and social enterprises. For more information call (321) 233-3311, email [email protected], and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.

When our company first launched in late 2015 (FKA With Balance), the business vision was simple: to provide financial coaching and education to small business and nonprofit executives, occasionally in tandem with bookkeeping, payroll, or tax preparation.
 
While initial market research indicated that this kind of coaching was both unique and needed, over the last few years we learned that a lot of our potential clients felt that they needed actual professional financial services more. So we joined the ranks of the growing virtual accounting world and began offering a combination of services – coaching, yes, but also bookkeeping, payroll, consulting, and tax preparation services. Since adding these elements to our service portfolio, our revenue has tripled. Clearly, we're headed in the right direction.
 
As the focus of our work shifted from the individual (the executive or business leader) to the corporation (nonprofit or for profit), we recognized the need to revamp our brand and rename our organization.
 
Through the rebranding process, we realized that we wanted to create a fresh, sharp, friendly, and memorable corporate brand. We wanted our new mark to reflect not only our unique corporate persona, but also our commitment to innovation, problem solving, and our role as key advisors. Enter, the Fox.
 
Cultures around the globe assign some cool attributes to the fox. Strategic, clever, intelligent, resourceful, spirited, loyal, and wise are some of our favorites. And who doesn’t want those qualities in their finance team? The Celtic people even assigned the fox the role of guide – deeming it a knowledgeable, helpful creature. That’s exactly what we strive to be – and so we were powerless to resist, completely beguiled by the legendary Fox.
 
We added the Blue to the name because not only is it one of the most universally welcoming colors, but also because it often symbolizes depth, stability, wisdom, confidence, and truth. Blue is the color of the sky and the sea, and in our minds it captures the infinite opportunity of both.
 
And so the Blue Fox was born. We hope you like it as much as we do.