Support Charlie, Support Locally.

I'm having one of those days.

A day where you see something like this and you feel a bit, I dunno, jealous. I mean, really, this is something cool. Another positive outcome in social media.

But the little whiny kid inside me screams, "I wanna raise close to a quarter million pounds for autism! I'm gonna go so way like big farther than that boy! A whole 21.2 miles more! With my feet!"

When 9/11 hit I was in fundraising. After the towers fell and all those tragedies unfolded, people gave and gave in droves. It was beautiful to watch, unless you were part of charities that did not directly impact 9/11 and their survivors. I remember phone banking to countless people telling me, "No. Sorry. I gave to the victims of 9/11." I was crushed. Felt like a girl dumped for a cooler and more trendy charity. Seriously.

There is a saying, "Think locally, act globally." Globally, this is a no-brainer. This is horrible, they need help, and not a single person should feel bad because of their donation to a kid on a bike or a collection group on the street.

The other is to realize that proactive giving can help avoid other tragedies that can be right in your backyard. Giving to organizations who mobilize for causes you believe in, where you can see results, makes you feel more connected with the people around you.

When I chose my charity I realized I wanted to raise for something that impacted me immediately. I know what every dollar does, and what every cent means. I know what the reactions will be to better support, care, and diagnosis of this diverse condition people struggle daily to understand.

So I challenge you this: Support Charlie. Seriously, do it. Then do something locally. Something that gets you up and going like my charity does.

Think globally, act locally.