If you are a reader of my monthly musings, you know I think all patients should be given written, tangible reinforcement of the occupational therapy appointment and recommended interventions.  Paper handouts with notes and comments are valuable for patients and caregivers as they work while the OT is not there to reach their goals of increasing independence in their occupation of focus.

I also talk to a lot of OT students and know the majority prefer a paper resource over electronic. Students tell me they appreciate a resource they can browse, copy, mark up, highlight and flag.  I agree with patients and students because I also find I learn information more effectively if I don’t just read the information but reinforce that reading with activity.

So for these reasons, I continue to offer the Occupational Therapy Toolkit as a print book instead of just an electronic resource.   But, we live in a world where each of us is acutely aware that each decision that we make can have a permanent and detrimental impact on our planet.  So by printing books and by encouraging OT practitioners to make copies for patients, I know I am impacting the world we love.

To lessen this impact, I wanted to support an organization that mitigated deforestation across the globe.  Trees, Water & People spoke to my OT heart, because while planting trees, they also recognize the importance of occupations.  TWP supports indigenous people, who are stewards of the lands that need protection, by creating sustainable work opportunities.  The work TWP supports not only provide jobs that conserve resources and support families and communities, but are a source of pride.

TWP also elevates women in the work that they accomplish across the globe – as a woman and as a member of an occupation primarily staffed by women, I appreciate their acknowledgement that this is still a real barrier in our world.  The work TWP accomplishes with the women of indigenous peoples is inspiring, as is their work to combat gender based violence.

Trees, Water and People’s also has a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator and received the Platinum Transparency Award from Candid in 2024.  In short, their work truly supports their motto “Helping people and the planet”. Check out their website at Trees, Water & People, browse their blog posts, follow them on socials, or even consider a donation of your time or resources.