giving Archives - MomStart

Season of Giving Day 30: From Trash To Treasure

November 30, 2011 by Momstart 5 Comments

Wow, can you believe this is the last day of November, it’s going to be a mad dash from now on as we approach Christmas. Don’t forget that you can give during this time too. You can donate time, toys money, it’s an endless list of what you can give in this Season of Giving. I hope you find someone to do something extra special for.

By Summer

Recycle Your Junk

This is my last post in November about giving. Next month I’ll be posting about going green. So today I’m combining the two months to discuss donating your unwanted treasures … or “recycling” them. This is more the philosophy: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Just because you’re done with a clothing item, toy, gadget, or other “junk” doesn’t mean it’s not valuable to someone. Clean out your house before Christmas and consider dividing your goods to benefit local charities, which is a win-win-win. Win, you can get a tax deduction (be sure to record what you give); win, other people get new-to-them treasures; win, your stuff isn’t sitting in a landfill.

Be sure you don’t really give places JUNK! No one wants JUNK!

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

Season of Giving Day 29: Nature’s Path EnviroKidz Support Endangered Species

November 29, 2011 by Momstart 3 Comments

By Summer:

I love Nature’s Path Organic Foods. This should be no secret as I’ve shared with Mom Start readers Nature’s Path Organics Foods recipe s, how I love their organic healthy and ecofriendly company, and giving … which brings me to today’s Season of Giving post.

In my own home when I purchase cereal it’s Nature’s Path. My husband and I love to crunch Ancients Path in our yogurt. My kids love Nature’s Path Organic’s EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch. Nature’s Path donates 1% of the sales of EnviroKidz (their children’s line of gluten-free products) to projects that support endangered species, habitat conservation and environmental education for kids worldwide.

To date, they have raised over $1.4 million for the environment. This year, for the first time ever, they are offering grants of up to $20,000 to local charitable non-profits doing projects in communities across North America. Project submissions need to be non-profit organization that supports endangered species, habitat conservation and/or environmental education for kids. Nature’s Path EnviroKids needs Project Submissions and voters. When voting, find a project you’re passionate about that work to empower the children of today to change their present and future world and to protect endangered species and environments.

You will be responsible for local non-profits winning grants of up to $20,000 but only if you vote before the deadline of December 9^th.

All the Contest Details can be found on Facebook.

Thanks to Nature’s Path for continuing to be awesome in my book, and saving the environment.

About Summer:

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:

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.

Season of Giving Day 16: Literacy: Libraries and Schools

November 16, 2011 by Momstart 5 Comments

By Summer:

Literacy is very important to me! Not just as a person but as a mom and teacher. Thanks to my resources at Mom Start we’re been able to supply books to a local school by requesting extra books from PR companies when writing reviews (not all companies are giving, special note is given at the bottom of a post for donated books); my family keeps the book we’ve used by reading and we give the extra book to the school I student taught at which has a high population of free or reduced lunches and is the school for a government subsidized housing area for refugees mainly from Laos and Thailand.

If you’d like to give literacy too, donate to your local classroom or library system.

Libraries are more than hardcovers on shelves as you can borrow movies, music, eBooks, and browse databases all with a small free card! My library system also offers FREE community events and support services: homework help, English as a Second Language conversation groups, book readings, book signings and author readings, concerts, story time, storytelling programs such as puppet shows, summer reading programs, educator STARS workshops, computer classes, writing workshops, book sales, etc. I’ve used a fair share of resources as a teacher for my classroom, as a student for research, as a mom for their events and programming, and personally for books and eBooks.

If you want to give literacy try these options:

· Acquiring Books

Bloggers – Ask companies you work with to donate an extra book so you can also donate.

Parents – When the scholastic book orders come along order an extra $1 book or two. You can also think about donating the used books your child has out grown. Be sure to ask the group you plan to donate too if they need books. Then get the books to the principal or teacher. They could hand them out to children or the teacher might be able to use them as teacher’s classroom library is personally supplied, so donating a book to a classroom library can offer a resource for that grade level for several years.

Educators – I challenge you to give books to the children who need them. In my class there were students who wouldn’t bring back the library books they checked. These children need books at home.

· Donate new or used books

School – Contact local toddler groups or schools; see if they have a library in need of resources. Schools teachers and administrators might also have a giving program where they get books in the hands of students who couldn’t otherwise afford them.

Library – Check and see if your library offers books for sale. Mine has groups called Friends of the Library for each branch in my library system. By selling donated books they fund and help support their branch.

Food Bank – Some food banks will also accept books to hand out to patrons. They might only accept books during the holiday season to pass onto parents as presents. Check with your local food bank.

· Donate Money

Library – My library has a foundation to which monetary donations can be accepted.

Library Groups – My local library system offers a group called “Friends of the Library” which sponsors their city’s library branch. Anyone can join with a simple annual membership fee. The funds are used at the library of the chaptering city.

School – I don’t actually know if you can give money to a school or a school library directly. Donations can be made to private schools, but I don’t know how this works in a public school. On donations, if they are accepted, ask about designating your money to the library or the purchase of books.

School Groups – Giving through groups such as the PTA might be the best way to offer monetary support. Check with the PTA about what they do for the school’s literacy.

If you’re gifting your used books, don’t just give your child’s books away. Get your child involved! This is the perfect opportunity for your child to learn about giving. Explain to them why you feel this is the best thing for the books they own which are only collecting dust. If your child belongs to a group such as a scout troop try organizing a book drive so your child can see other children also giving. Not only are you giving, but you’re “recycling” these books to new users. An all-around win!

About Summer:

Season of Giving Day 8 Save Second Base

November 8, 2011 by Momstart 6 Comments

Tis the Season to be Jolly, and isn’t it very satisfying when you give something? Find ways to give this Season and we’re helping you find them. Summer has day 8 all ready. Here is Season of Giving Day 8: Save Second Base!

Help support the Kelly Rooney Foundation by donating directly to the cause or you can get and give by purchasing Save 2^nd Base wear. Or double give – give a t-shirt to a friend and Save 2^nd Base will give its profits to the Kelly Rooney Foundation.

I had many friends affected by breast cancer this year. Two of my friends and my mom had best friends who had to sacrifice their breasts to cancer (all plan to have reconstruction). One friend had a scary during a mammogram and had to have additional testing done. Another had a breast reduction in which they found some cancerous cells. These women range in ages from early 30s to mid-50s.

I love t-shirts; I’m a t-shirt girl! I love t-shirt swag. But I hate when t-shirts are cheap and paper-like; you know, rough and wrinkles easily. The Save 2^nd Base “Kelly” t-shirt is so soft and very comfortable … my secret (shhhh!), sometimes I’ll wear it for 24 hours – during the daytime and then to bed or if I take my shower at night to bed and then the next day.

If you want to learn more about the Kelly Rooney Foundation or Save 2^nd Base read more on Mom Start from our review of their wear earlier this year. You can find the Kelly Rooney Foundation on Facebook and track them on Twitter @KellyRooneyFdn. You can also Like Save 2^nd Base on Facebook and on Twitter @Save2ndBase.

About Summer:

Season of Giving Day 6 Host a Diaper Drive

November 6, 2011 by Momstart 7 Comments

You might have noticed that yesterday I used the wrong phrase for this series. I called it the Season of sharing, but whatever you call it, Season of Giving, Season of Sharing Spirit of giving, we here at MomStart hope to encourage you to find a way to give this year.

By Summer,

Calling all parents! Quick, look in your bag, stroller, child’s closet, bathroom, car – chances are you’ve got some “leftover” diapers from a stage your child is no longer in just lying around. You know the stragglers you can count on one hand. You may know they’re there and just haven’t known what to do with them, or they might be sitting there waiting to be discovers, but I have a solution for you. Check with your local food bank to see if they accept “open package” diaper donations. My local food bank, Maltby Food Bank, happily accept diaper stragglers to help their patrons as diapers are so expensive! There is also a local support for single moms-to-be in my neighborhood called Special Delivery and they will take your open diaper packages too. Mom Start worked with Pampers and Johnson’s earlier this year to help support Special Delivery.

My local organizations also accepts other diapering and baby supplies such as open packages of wipes, diaper cream, pacifiers, bottles, and cans of formula (including samples received in the mail). Check with your local organization when you’re looking to get rid of these items. Remember, product donations to your local non-profit 501(c) are tax deductible.

If you want to make a bigger impact, ask your friends to search their homes to find their straggler diapers too. If you’re donating to the food bank add some non-perishable food items. Organizations in need of diapers will also gladly accept cash donations and gift cards to purchases items needed by their cliental.

Feeding America is a group of food banks and Feeding America can help you find a local food bank in your area if you don’t know where one is located. Feeding America can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

About Summer:

Random Acts of Zhu Visited the Seattle Tweet Drive

December 22, 2010 by Momstart 2 Comments

It wasn’t until I was reading Random Acts of Zhu Blessing in A Backpack on my friend Connie’s site that I realized Zhu Zhu chose 100 bloggers to participate in Random Acts of Zhu.

“The makers of Zhu Zhu Pets and Kung Zhu, Cepia, LLC, chose 100 bloggers to donate 104 Zhu Zhu Pets to local non-profits that provide toys to needy children.”

The Assignment:

We (the bloggers) were provided with 104 Zhu Zhu Pets. Do that math (100 x 104) 10,400 were given to charity! OH My for Charity! We were told to give them to a charity that means something to us and share our experience.

My Experience was amazing, and helped lead to over 330 toys being donated to Treehouse in Seattle. I wrote about the Seattle Tweet Drive previously. Club Sur donated the venue and food. It was a fun night where fellow tweeters tweeted for charity!

The Result:

Here are the toys:

These toys are now with Treehouse. Treehouse is a charity for Orphans and Foster Families who need extra support in our community. The children will actually be allowed to go shopping and pick out what they want.

The most challenging part of giving all of the Zhu Zhu pets away was explaining to my 2 year old, who LOVES these critters, that he can’t keep any of them.

Thank you Zhu Zhu and Cepia, LLC for allowing us to partake in such a wonderful giving campaign!

Ralph Lauren Donation Ralph Lauren Baby Layette

December 15, 2010 by Momstart 5 Comments

I’m a Ralph Lauren Ambassador working with Mom Central and as part three of the campaign with both of them, Ralph Lauren sent me a beautiful baby layette. The Ralph Lauren Baby Layette was donated to Treehouse as part of the Seattle Tweet Drive I participated in.

The Layette was absolutely gorgeous. The hat and mittens were so soft and looked like they would keep a baby so warm. I was very honored and humbled by the ability to donate these wonderful items to such a worthy charity as Treehouse. Treehouse is an orphanage, a charity set up to help orphans and families that adopt, or foster them. Children are able to go “shopping” as you will and pick out a Christmas present. I think it’s an amazing place helping so many kids in need. Last year they helped over 5,000 different children.

My son Miles helped me to take photos of all the products that Ralph Lauren sent us to donate.

Cotton Cable Hat & Bootie Set

Adorable baby’s hat and bootie set knit in soft, hearty cabled cotton.
Cable-knit hat with ribbed foldover brim and seamed crown for a snug fit.
Cabled booties have a ribbed foldover ankle cuff with a delicate cord woven through and tied at the ankle and textured knit sole.
100% cotton. Machine washable. Imported.
Price: $65.00

Snap-Front Footed Coverall

A long-sleeved footed coverall in soft cotton jersey is crafted in an easy snap-front design with essential fold-over cuffs.
Ribbed neckline and placket.
Full-snap front down to the footed hem for ultra-easy on and off.
Long raglan sleeves have turn-back cuffs that fold over your infant’s hands to prevent scratches.
Tonal embroidered pony accents the chest.
100% cotton. Machine washable. Imported.
Price: $27.50

"I am a participant in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Ralph Lauren and received a Ralph Lauren Baby Layette set to help facilitate my review."