charity — MomStart

Johnsonville Kitchens Comment For a Cause Sausage Recipes

November 26, 2011 By Momstart 36 Comments

Back in September I attended Johnsonville Kitchens Blog for a cause. There we wrapped presents for charity and learned even more about Johnsonville Kitchens and all the fabulous things you can do with sausage. I can’t wait to try a new meatloaf recipe. I’m creating one tonight, it’s going to be unique! Hopefully my family will say delicious instead of that’s interesting.

One of the very fabulous things that Johnsonville Kitchens is doing for me is that they’re giving up to $1000.00 to the charity of my choice. All we have to do is try out some fabulous Johnsonville Kitchens recipes.

I picked a charity: Special Delivery

You leave a comment.

Tell me what you like to make with sausage and tell me if you’d be willing to try Johnsonville Sausage next time in that recipe. You’ll love it, Johnsonville sausage is unique because it is so full of flavors you won’t need any seasoning. Just buy the Johnsonville sausage flavor for what you’re recipe needs. Just in case you don’t even have a sausage recipe here are a few of my favorite sausage recipes (use Johnsonville Sausage anytime it calls for sausage):

Savory Pork Sausage Balls Recipe

Puff Pastry Sausage Turnovers Recipe

Sausage Pops Italian Meatballs on a Stick Recipe

Sausage Stuffed Mushroom Bites Recipe

Hash Brown Sausage Casserole Recipe

Maple Sausage Corn Bread Pudding Recipe

Remember, please leave me a comment with your favorite sausage recipe and if you would use Johnsonville sausage, I need 20 comments for a donation of $1000.00 to Special Delivery.

Johnsonville provided my travel expenses.

Filed Under: charity, recipe Tagged With: blog for a cause, charity, comment for a cause, Johnsonville, recipe, sasuage recipes, Special Delivery

Season of Giving Day 25: Small Business Saturday

November 25, 2011 By Momstart 4 Comments

It’s now a month before Christmas and everyone is going to be shopping shopping shopping. While you’re out and about this holiday season be sure to find ways to give to others in need. So far this month we’ve provided you with 24 different ways to give this holiday season. You’ll find it’s quite easy to make a difference in someone’s life. Today we’re bringing you our 25th way to help in this season of giving.

By Summer:

With Black Friday and mega deal shopping over on Friday before 12noon, don’t forget the small boutique shops “reserved” for the second annual Small Business Saturday. You may wonder what this has to do with giving; this is one way to give back to your community. Small shops use to be the make-up of a town’s survival; small businesses are your neighbors’ survival as they are someone’s bread and butter. Small Business Saturday is sponsored by American Express and as of now a little fewer than 3 million Facebook supporters. You can show your support by Liking the Small Business Saturday Facebook page and don’t forget to shop.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm

Filed Under: charity, Summer Tagged With: charity, giving, season of giving, Small Business Saturday

Season of Giving Extra: On Our Way to Ending Hunger With Hormel

November 24, 2011 By Momstart 4 Comments

Summer has done an amazing job in bringing us ways to give this holiday season and as or Hormel ambassador I was asked to bring you an extra one.

Giving back to those less fortunate is important throughout the year, but the holidays present the perfect opportunity to get you in the giving spirit. How do you embrace your charitable side during the holiday season? Do you donate to a specific organization or write a thoughtful note to someone special in your life? Do you send a care package to troops overseas or volunteer at a local soup kitchen? We want to hear about what you’re already doing to lend a helping hand during the holiday season, Please share with us what you’ve been inspired to do in the comments on this post.

Hormel Foods’ “On Our Way to Ending Hunger” program collaborates with retailers, nonprofits and the government on hunger relief efforts. Motivating individuals and corporate partners to take action to fight hunger. You can find out more on their corporate website. Over the next couple weeks, we challenge you to get in touch with your giving side on a local level. Look up a local charity in your area or tap into one you already work with- it could be anything from a food bank or soup kitchen, a toy donation center or local shelter. Pick something that has personal meaning to you or your family. While you are packing up canned goods or old coats, helping someone in need with a home improvement project or serving food, document your good deeds using photo or video and share the most meaningful moments with us.

During November and December, upload the photos to your blog and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter (mention @HormelFoods and #HFExtendedFamily). Need ideas for donations? Below are some items that food banks can always use:

 Hormel® chili
 Dinty Moore® stew
 Hormel® Compleats® Microwave Meals
 Hormel® Chunk Meats
 Valley Fresh® chunk meats
 SPAM® family of products
 Hormel® bacon bits
 Hormel® Mary Kitchen® hash
 CHI-CHI’S® SNACKERS® salsa
 Bottled water
 Toilet paper
 Toothpaste
 Toothbrushes
 Laundry detergent
 Deodorant

As a Hormel blog ambassador sharing this post with you enters me into a contest for a special prize.

Filed Under: charity Tagged With: charity, giving, Hormel, On Our Way To Ending Hunger

Season of Giving Day 24: Toy Drives

November 24, 2011 By Momstart 4 Comments

By Summer:

Happy Thanksgiving! Today’s giving tip is easy … go out tomorrow during the Black Friday sales and buy an extra toy or two or more. Give the new toy to a collection program to make someone else’s Christmas a little brighter. Here are some of the charities I’ve come across:

Shaq-A-Claus at Toys R Us – This program give to Toys for Tots, so see below, though this program is promoted more with the name and picture of Shaq you’ll see in any information that the Toys For Tots train logo appears.

Toys For Tots – This is a toy drive set up by the Marines. They have multiple drop off locations somewhere close to you. There are no specifications on toys besides having them unwrapped. Wrapping paper, gift bags and tissue paper are happily accepted in addition to gifts for all ages.

Local Food Banks (check your local food bank or find one near you at Feeding America) – Contact your local food bank about their needs including specific ages of clients. The food bank may also have wish lists for clients.

The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree at JC Penny – An Angel Tree has tags on it with specific toys or items desired by a specific person. Go to an Angel Tree location and shop for a tag of an item you wish to purchase to help a family.

Tweet Fest 2011 – There are parties nationally in 36 citiies. Search Bing “TweetFest2011 [city name]” to see if there is a TweetFest in your area. Here in Seattle the party will be at the Hard Rock Café in conjunction with MySeattleNightOut.com. You can follow the Seattle TweetFest on Twitter @SEAtweetdrive. Follow national talk @TweetDriveHQ or use #TweetDrive.

If you know of one, leave a comment and let us all know. I think picking up an extra toy, especially during Black Friday deals, is so easy. Happy shopping!!!

About Summer:

Filed Under: charity, Summer Tagged With: Angel Tree, charity, feeding america, Seattle Tweetdrive, Shaq-a-claus, toy drive, toys for tots, tweetdrive, tweetdrive 2012

Season of Giving Day 22: Help Feed The Homeless Union Gospel Mission

November 22, 2011 By Momstart 6 Comments

By Summer:

I was listening to Spirit 105.3 the other night while running an errand in my car. It was commercial time but I didn’t change the station, I just thoughtlessly listened while I drove until something caught my attention: For only $1.92 you could provide a meal and a night of safe accommodations for a homeless Seattleite through the 4^th Annual One Meal/One Hope Campaign at my local Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. You can donate any amount to help.

One Meal / One Hope 2011 from Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission on Vimeo.

I’m on the late end as far as hearing about these Thanksgiving meals, though I know meals are always needed, but I feel it’s important to know and pass on since your help can span beyond this season of giving. The Seattle Union Gospel Mission offers a community room as a safe, warm place to enjoy creativity and games; mail services; free meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as sack lunches if working; overnight mat stay for men; personal care center and with men’s showers and hygiene supplies; men’s and women’s restrooms; men’s clothing; metro bus tickets for work, school, or emergencies; a pet clinic; legal services; dental services; men’s recovery programs; and chapel services. If you live in the Seattle area there is a small card you can print to have handy for homeless you encounter.

My Union Gospel Mission says you can help by preparing a “car kits” to hand out to homeless asking for help or holding signs on the street. Include a bottled water; healthy snack – bought or homemade; warm clothing – hats, socks or gloves; hand warmers; hand sanitizer; and if you live in the Seattle area place the aforementioned small card inside too. Though any city’s homeless could use a car kit.

If you’re interested in helping the homeless in your community, visit the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM) where you can locate a mission in your area. If homelessness is a hard subject for you or you’d like more thought and digestion time on your role, then I’d recommend reading Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski.

About Summer:

Filed Under: charity, Summer Tagged With: charity, Feed the homeless, Mike Yankoski, Seattle, Spirit 105.3, Under the overpass, Union Gospel Mission

Heads Up Seattle: Macy’s Holiday Events Bring Santa, Fireworks and Charity All Together

November 21, 2011 By Momstart Leave a Comment

We didn’t really do anything outside of the home and family for last year’s holiday season. This year though we have big plans and one of them is the Macy’s Holiday Parade.

MACY’S HOLIDAY PARADE AND STAR LIGHTING TO KICK OFF HOLIDAY SEASON

In celebration of the 2011 holiday season, Macy’s is proud to announce that its annual My Macy’s Holiday Parade will take place on Friday, November 25, 2011 in downtown Seattle. My only concern is that this is going to be insane because it’s also Black Friday. Oh well, it’s good to do fun Holiday stuff as a family. The parade steps off promptly at 9 a.m. and lasts approximately one hour. The Holiday Parade route will begin at 7^th and Pine, then travel west down Pine St. to 5^th Avenue, south on 5^th Avenue to University Street, west on University to 4^th, and then north on 4^th to Macy’s doorstep.

The Seattle Times and Warm 106.9 FM radio are the media partners for the Parade this year. Macy’s signature inflatable floats will make their annual appearance in this Seattle tradition. This year’s Parade will include two new train cars for the candy cane express inflatable float and a new rocking horse inflatable float and costumes from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. The parade will feature more than 20 inflatable floats, local high school marching bands, over 500 costumed characters, professional sports teams and community drill teams.

The parade will conclude shortly after Santa dashes in his sleigh past Macy’s, heading directly from the North Pole to his Seattle holiday post in Macy’s Santaland, which opens at 11:00 AM.

MACY’S STAR LIGHTING & FIREWORKS SHOW

What excites me even more than the parade is the three lighting. That same evening, Macy’s will continue the tradition of the Holiday Star Lighting Ceremony in conjunction with the annual Seattle Westlake Center tree lighting. The famous 161-foot high, 3,600-bulb Holiday Star is a Seattle favorite. This event begins at 5 p.m. and will include an incredible fireworks display (weather permitting). My husband and I attended this event in the beginning of our marriage. I think it would be so fun to do it again with the kids this year.

SANTALAND AND SANTA DIGITAL PHOTOS

The tradition of visiting Santaland and having family portraits taken with the Old St. Nick continues at the downtown Macy’s store on the 6th floor. Macy’s will once again offer a wide assortment of digital photography packages. Santa photos will be available every day from Friday, November 25 through Friday, December 24. For more information visit www.macys.com/believe and www.macy.com/events for Santaland daily hours

HOLIDAY “BELIEVE” CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION

We mentioned this campaign in Beginning November 6, believers of all ages are invited to drop off letters – stamped and addresses to Santa at the North Pole – at any Santa Mail letterbox at your local Macy’s store. For each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $1 million, to grant wishes to local children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Filed Under: Announcement Tagged With: charity, Events, Holiday Parade, Macy's, Make a Wish, SANTALAND AND SANTA DIGITAL PHOTOS, Seattle, seattle fireworks show, Seattle star lighting, Star lighting

Season of Giving Day 21: Laffy Laffalot : Laugh. Heal. Give Something Back

November 21, 2011 By Momstart 2 Comments

By Ashley

Since Summer has been working so hard on the Season of Giving series here on MomStart, I wanted to help her out. When Laffy Laffalot came to me for a review, I know I had found the perfect addition.

Let me introduce you to Laffy. He is a cute little orange guy who loves to laugh! He has over 20 different laughs that you (or a little one) can hear at the touch of a button. He comes with headphones that are perfect for everyone (and won’t hurt kids’ ears), MP3 quality sound, and a helium effect knob that changes the sound of any laugh for even more fun! Laffy also comes with 4 programmable buttons where you can record your own laughs or messages. Laffy is super durable and can handle drops from up to 6 feet!

Well, now that you’ve met my new friend Laffy, let me tell you why he’s such a perfect addition to the Season of Giving. Laffy was created by a California firefighter and paramedic. He wanted to create the perfect toy that would help put smiles on the faces of injured or ill children. Laughter has truly been proven as some of the best medicine.

Even better, Laffy Laffalot has teamed up with the National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS). For every Laffy sold, the NCCS receives $3. It feels so good to buy something fun and silly when you know it helps improve the quality of life for children with cancer and their families worldwide. Last year, we had a small scare (thankfully ending with all good news) with our own son, and seeing the children coming into the hospital for their cancer treatments, I’ve seen what a benefit Laffy (and the money he raises) can be.

Laffy Laffalot has now also teamed up with Autism Smiles, a group that works to give children with autism and their families special apps, products, and equipment. Right now, proceeds of $2.00 (per special promo code – autismsmiles) will go to Autism Smiles.

Laffy makes a great gift for anyone, whether their healthy, struggling with illness, or just feeling a little blue. If you can’t think of anyone that Laffy would be a good fit for though, it’s also possibly to just order a Laffy (or 100!) and send your donation to any location. Discount prices are even offered on orders of 6 or more.

So there you have it, a HILARIOUS toy that helps children and their families worldwide. I hope that fills your heart with as much happiness as it did mine during this Season of Giving!

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and President of our local MOMS Club chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.

Filed Under: Ashley, charity Tagged With: Autims Smiles, charity, Laffy Laffalot, MP3 player kids, National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS, toy review

Season of Giving Day 19: Heifer International Pass On The Gift

November 20, 2011 By Momstart 6 Comments

By Summer,

Heifer International is a giving non-profit organization that was founded on the though, “children don’t need a cup, they need a cow.” Founder Dan West created Heifer for Relief and in 1944 was sending the first shipment of 17 heifers to Puerto Rico in order to provide families with livestock as well as training. The heifers would then supply milk and continuous support for the country as the heifer’s offspring was then to be passed on as a donation to another family. So the gift of food is never-ending.

Gifts can be as little or as large as you wish. Just check out the Heifer catalog:

· $10 share of one — goat or sheep or tree seedlings or pig or rabbits
· $20 flock of chicks or ducks or geese, or share of a llama
· $25 share of a water buffalo
· $30 honeybees or share of fish
· $48 share of a “Knitter’s Gift Basket”*
· $50 share of a heifer
· $60 “Flock of Hope” of chicks, ducks, and/or goslings
· $60 tree seedlings or trio of rabbits
· $85 share of a camel
· $90 share of a “Cheese of the World Basket”*
· $120 goat or sheep or pig
· $150 “Share the Joy” sharing the “Joy to the World Gift Basket”* or llama
· $250 water buffalo
· $300 three schools of fish
· $480 “Knitter’s Gift Basket”* of a llama, alpaca, sheep, and a angora rabbit
· $500 heifer
· $850 camel
· $990 “Cheeses of the World Gift Basket”* of a heifer, goat, sheep, and water buffalo
· $1,500 “Joy to the World Gift Basket”* of two sheep, four goats, one heifer, and two llamas
· $5,000 “Gift Ark” of two of each – cow, sheep, camels, oxen, water buffalo, pigs, beehives, goats, donkeys, llamas, and two trio of each – ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs, and two flocks of each – geese and chicks
· $10,000 “WiLD [Women in Livestock Development] Gift”
· $25,000 “Gift of Transformation”

If you’re follow the stars, Heifer International’s supporters include Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Diane Lane, Ed Asner, Patricia Heaton, Alton Brown, Mary-Louise Parker, Susan Sarandon, Joe Mantegna, and Eva Amurri. So “Pass On The Gift”.

All donations for catalog items or general monitory donations are tax-deductible.

About Summer:

Filed Under: charity, Summer Tagged With: charity, gift of hope., Heifer International, Pass on the gift, season of giving, Summer

Season of Giving Day 18: The Recipe for FEED[ing] Our Small World

November 18, 2011 By Momstart 5 Comments

By Summer

I love to buy gifts. I especially love to buy gifts then they support a cause. Disney has released an It’s a Small World cookbook for children called FEED Our Small World. The recipes are a little complicated for a chef-in-the-making, but this book is great for a little family time cooking!

The books has 6 breakfast recipes, 7 lunch recipes, 7 dinner recipes, and 6 dessert recipes; as you can imagine these delicacies give you a taste of the world with recipes from France, Spain, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, India, Greece, Cuba, China, Thailand, Senegal, Italy, Japan, Indonesia, Morocco, Mexico, Ireland, Poland, United States, Jamaica, and England.

These recipes are fun and easy! Many of them have a lot of ingredients, so be sure to shop with your young chef before starting a recipe. I think then children help make a dish they’re more likely to try it, even if they don’t end up liking the taste. FEED Our Small World offers flavors from around the world, so your child can try all different kinds of flavors. This is a great book to base a play date or theme party around.

My Mom Start Review Grade of FEED Our Small World Cookbook: A+

This book isn’t just great for the joy of cooking or for the family time you’ll have while preparing a dish, but the Disney It’s a Small World FEED Our Small World Cookbook also donates to the FEED Foundation to provide Vitamin A supplement for 450,000 children for one year.

The FEED Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit started by Ellen Gustafson and Lauren Bush in July 2008. Their mission is to improve the global food system by ensuring nutritious school meals for all children. Basically FEED focuses on food security, school feeding, and healthy food. The FEED Foundation partners with the FEED Project, LLC and the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). You can also donate directly to FEED:

- $10-50 can provide school meals to children around the world for the school year

- $240 can provide two families of six using agricultural aid in East Africa

- $350 can support a classroom nutrition program in the USA

Disclaimer: This book was provided for the promotion of this book. Disney also provided a copy of this book to be donated to a local low income school. Thank you Disney for caring about our children and their literacy!

About Summer:

Filed Under: charity, Summer Tagged With: charity, Cookbook, Disney, Disney Publishing, Feed Our Small World

Season Of Giving Day 17: Schools Are Always in Need

November 17, 2011 By Momstart 6 Comments

By Summer

If you’re a parent, chances are you have a child in school, even if it’s a toddler group or preschool. The thing is schools always need money. ALWAYS! Give and find ways to give savvy.

Toddler Groups / Co-ops – Find out if your program is a 501(c), this will help increase your giving power. Your work might be able to match your donation and/or use the tax deduction. These types of programs might also like to take your physical donations such as gently used books, toys and puzzles.

Preschool / Kindergarten Prep – Your program might also be a 501(c), check with them and remember to match and/or use the tax deduction. Some programs have fundraisers, which actually fall on the parents, not the children! Some preschools will take physical donations of used books, toys, puzzles, and art supplies.

Elementary Schools – Most of their outside funds come from the PTA which will do multiple fundraisers a year to acquire funds to improve the school. Some schools also accept Box Tops for Education and Campbell’s Soup Labels, so collect and turn them in!

Middle School / Junior High – Different programs and clubs will accept private donations, such as rhetoric or band. Students at this age still end up doing fundraisers for the PTA or for extracurricular activities.

High School – This is all about private sponsorship. The yearbook offers ads for the parents of seniors, the newspaper and football programs offer ad space for profit, and uniforms are bought by the participant. Fundraisers are typically held inside the school where students are raising money from students, such as candy-grams at holidays like Halloween or Valentine’s Day. Find a place you’d want to give to your child’s high school or your alma mater.

College / University / Technical Schools – Sometimes you cringle at the money you spent to attend a higher education program where you feel it was worth it or not. Then about 2 years after graduation they want to contact you to donate to the alumni association, your particular program, a dean’s or chancellor’s fund, or other divisions. I’d actually encourage you to join your alumni association if your school has one. Also give at least annually, and if your school is a public or state school check out if the division you’re giving to is a 501(c) which means matching by companies and/or tax deductions.

One more way you might be able to give money to your schools is to check with your human resources about getting paid to volunteer. My husband’s employer will pay an organization for each hour he volunteers for them. I don’t remember the pay rate, but he has to work 10+ hours within the year. Also the “deal” is non-transferable, so I can’t volunteer in his place.

Giving back to education is paying it forward for your children.

About Summer: