Going RED - Please REaD

Going with my shopping holiday theme I am Captain Obvious today with the RED theme. Do you really know what the Red campaign is all about? Does everyone know what December 1st is? Or is it all just media hype with a lot of big name corporate players that flash their ads and you have no clue? Did you know that when you buy RED products that the money goes to Africa to people with Aids? Do you know what a RED product is? Today I wore RED to let those who know that I get it. Posted on the redcampaign.org blog today was what you can do and go RED!!!!! Don't let the RED stop today, you can make any day RED.

DECEMBER 1 IS WORLD AIDS DAY - ONE COLOR UNITES US.

HELP TURN FACEBOOK & TWITTER (RED)

SEE HOW (RED) PARTNERS INCLUDING GAP, DELL & STARBUCKS ARE GIVING MORE

December 1st is World AIDS Day – a time to honor all who are affected by AIDS. Cities, brands, organizations and people are coming together from all over the world to make one statement. That ONE COLOR UNITES US. And that color is (RED).

Here’s how you can get involved. Help us turn Facebook & Twitter (RED) on December 1st:

Facebook: Share our video & make your profile picture (RED). Get everything you need at: www.facebook.com/joinred

Twitter: We’ve been working with our good friends at Twitter to do something really exciting. We're turning the color of tweets red for the day! Just use #red or #laceupsavelives to turn your tweets red. Find out more at: @joinred or just click here.

What else can you do on December 1st? This World AIDS Day, (RED) partners are making increased contributions to help fight AIDS in Africa:

Starbucks: 5 cents for every hand-crafted beverage in US & Canada, and 5p/5 Euro cents for every espresso-based beverage bought in UK & Ireland.

Gap: 1% of all revenue at participating US and Canada stores.

Dell: Doubling their contributions on DELL (PRODUCT) RED™ products in US, UK and Japan. Until December 2nd.

Bugaboo: As always Bugaboo will be contributing 1% of their total revenue to the Global Fund.

Click here to see all (RED) partners.

33 million people in the world have HIV. 22 million live in Africa. It costs around 40cents a day for the 2 pills that are needed to help keep someone living with HIV alive. Yet, more than 70% of the people in sub-Saharan Africa live on less than $2 a day. Because of you, to date $140 million has been sent to Africa through (RED) partners and events, which has supported programs that have helped reach 4 million people.

Thank you for fighting AIDS in Africa. Thank you for being (RED).

ONE COLOR UNITES US on December 1st

Zoe & Zac

I can tell I'm going to have a fun month sharing all the cool stores and websites to shop that either donate all or a portion of the revenue to a good cause, or use products to help the environment. Today I had a crazy number of websites I could of shared based on the emails I received. Although, I dared to actually get out and shop for some inexpensive tennis shoes. Environmentally conscience clothing does not have to be big bucks. The one thing that chaps-my-hide is seeing wonderful recycled, pesticide free, natural materials selling for too much money just because of the brand name. I'm poor!!!!! What about us common folk?????

I came across Zoe & Zac today at Payless Shoes. Cool thing...even the shoe box is made with recycled materials!!! The rubber on my shoes came from recycled material. The fabric is pesticide free and made with natural materials like hemp!! I really love my Zoe&Zac shoes. Here is what the shoe box said:

"We haul our groceries in reusable bags. We hold onto that can until it finds a recycling bin. We are passionate, engaged and connected - to people and to our planet. We appreciate smart design. We believe that fashion is a reflection of who we are and an expression of how we live. We know that going green is a journey and every step counts - so together we take those steps in shoes designed to leave a smaller footprint. We are all Zoe&Zac".

And my cool looking slip on tennis shoes we only $19.99....cha-ching. Aaaaand if you buy a Zoe&Zac recyclable bag at Payless Shoes, Zoe&Zac will donate a $1 for every bag sold to help plant trees.

Check out Zoe&Zac at http://www.zoeandzac.com/. Their entire collection is under $30.00. Go to Payless Shoes right now during their Bogo sale and it's buy one get one half off!!

Here is the link to Payless if you want to buy online:

http://www.payless.com/store/catalog/brandlisting.jsp?trail=1014%3A100125&catId=cat10376&brandId=100125

VSA Arts http://www.vsarts.org/

I was watching PBS today and the Rockettes were on for the big Christmas concert at Radio City Music Hall. I remember as a child I wanted to be a Radio City Rockette. I wanted to be any sort of artist. Expressing creativity through motion, through song, through visual art. I first wanted to find a program for children. I've discovered each state has a plethera of non-profit programs to choose from. Eventually, I came across the VSA Arts Program (http://www.vsarts.org/).

 Ambassador Jean Kennedy started this program on an international level for people with disabilities. Celebrate 35 years with a message from Jean Kennedy:

Welcome From the President

This year, as VSA arts celebrates its 35th anniversary, we can look back with a great deal of pride at all we have accomplished since our founding by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith in 1974.
Over the past three and half decades, we have broken new ground that has opened doors and minds. We unveiled world-class performing arts productions and visual art exhibitions, led conferences and seminars, trained generations of teaching artists and educators, and provided teachers and parents with the resources and tools needed to support arts programming in their schools and communities.
Perhaps the greatest measure of VSA arts’ success is best recognized in how our programs, educational resources and outreach efforts work together to create an ongoing continuum of learning that nurtures young and emerging artists, and then reengages and supports these talented men and women throughout their careers.
Together with our network of domestic and international affiliates, VSA arts is committed to forging an inclusive environment where the arts are truly accessible to everybody. We have accomplished so much in the last 35 years—just think what we can accomplish in the next 35!
All the best,




Soula Antoniou
President, VSA arts

Black Friday

I found where I am doing the rest of my Christmas shopping. It all started with a fan page I joined on Facebook. Today I wanted to learn more about the gifts I purchase from the Breast Cancer Awareness page. This fan page on Facebook, along with Breast Cancer & Women's Health, Care & Feeding of Rescued Animals, Children's Health & Well-Being, Hunger & Poverty, Literacy & Children's Education, and
Protecting & Restoring the Environment can all be found at http://www.greatergood.org/. Plus, if you become a fan of their Facebook pages, you will receive special discounts for you purchase. Please join, become a fan, and shop away. My personal favorite items are the mantra bracelets, prayer bracelets, and recycled bead bracelets.

About them:

About GreaterGood.org


GreaterGood.org is an independent charitable organization devoted to improving the health and well-being of people, animals, and the planet. GreaterGood.org distributes 100% of the funds generated through the GreaterGood Network family of websites, including GreaterGood.org, to the nonprofit partners responsible for implementing the programs described on these sites, as well as providing grants directly to worthwhile organizations dedicated to the welfare of the global community.

Miniature Golf

The second Saturday of May is National Miniature golf day. Round up your friends and spend the day playing miniature golf for your favorite charity. Maybe collect food, or clothing, or toys for tots. Talk to the miniature golf course managers in your area and see if they will throw in a round of miniature golf for a good cause or free drinks and food to everyone who donates.

Go celebrate the second Saturday in May with friends playing miniature golf and give!!!!

How to Adopt a Family for the Holidays | eHow.com

At work today we started to discuss what we were going to do as a company to help those who are loss fortunate for the holidays. I was going to come home this evening and showcase a website that helps families make the holidays a little bit more cheerful. What I discovered was that really in order to adopt a family you need to look within the community that you live in.

I came across a helpful article to help anyone who is interested in adopting a family for the holidays.

Also, please keep in mind, families need help year round.


How to Adopt a Family for the Holidays | eHow.com

Penny Harvest

This is a genius idea. I was looking for ideas this evening. Something to post about. I had some ideas of what I would do when I came across the website Penny Harvest.org (http://www.pennyharvest.org/?hp=1). This is something almost everyone could do. I have my little penny harvest in a wine decantur sitting in the kitchen. I know what I plan on doing with the loose change, donate it!!! An idea right smack dab, sitting on my kitchen counter. Thanks Penny Harvest.

Here is a little about pennyharvest.org:

ABOUT US

Welcome to Common Cents!

We are an educational, not-for-profit organization, which specializes in creating and managing service-learning programs for young people. Our most popular and best known program is the Penny Harvest, the largest child philanthropy program in the United States.

Other Common Cents programs include the Student Community Action Fund, our high school leadership council, and Near Peer, our mentoring program.

Common Cents grew from the desire of a four-year-old (our Co-Founder, Nora Gross) to feed a homeless man in 1991. That need led her to ask her father (Teddy Gross, our other Co-Founder and our Executive Director) how she could help. His quest to answer that question gave birth to Common Cents and the Penny Harvest. Read the full story in Nora’s own words.

And since 1991, children between the ages of four and 14 have been converting their natural compassion for others into action by collecting pennies and turning those pennies into grants for community organizations. The Penny Harvest shows young people they have the ability to change the world by introducing them to the power of philanthropy and service during their formative years. As children help others, they develop their generosity and moral character, and they learn through practice the skills and responsibilities of democratic participation.  Learn all about the Penny Harvest.

Common Cents Mission:
Common Cents, creator of the Penny Harvest, nurtures a new generation of caring and capable young people between the ages of four and 14 by enabling them to strengthen their communities through philanthropy and service-learning.


What Is Service-Learning?
Service-learning is an educational method that entwines the threads of experiential learning and community service. It meets educational objectives through real-world experiences, while tapping youths as resources to benefit their schools and communities. Guided by teachers and community leaders, young people address real community needs by planning and executing service projects that are carefully tied to curricula. This hands-on learning enhances comprehension, academic achievement, citizenship, and character development, often reaching students who haven’t responded to traditional educational models. Service-learning is education in action: developing critical-thinking and problem solving skills; taking on issues such as hunger, homelessness, and diversity; and valuing people of all ages as citizens with talents to offer.

Boys Scouts and Popcorn

Today was a great day, because the popcorn I ordered from the Boy Scouts of America was delivered at my desk. Which made today's topic an easy one, because there it was just staring at me. What a treat, and 70% of my purchase goes to the Boy Scouts of America who celebrate their 100 years of service in the community in 2010.

(www.scouting.org)

ABOUT THE BSA:

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness.
For nearly a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through nearly a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.

Slumdog Millionare

When it comes to movies I'm a few years behind. Tonight I FINALLY watched Slumdog Millionare, which I highly recommend if you have not seen it. After watching the movie, I went about a typical Sunday evening and sufing the web. I knew I needed to find an organization to go with my Thanksgiving theme, and I knew I wanted to go global. India and the children of India became my inspiration after watching the movie.

I came across a website who's mission is to help the millions of children that are impoverished in India (http://www.planindia.org/vision.aspx). Children are the future. I am still a firm believer that no child should go hungry, thirsty, and uneducated. They did not choose their life. We can help!!!!

Mission statement for Plan India:

Plan Vision Our vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies which respect people’s right and dignities. Plan Mission Plan strives to bring lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries through a process that unites people across cultures and adds meaning and value to their lives by; Enabling deprived children, their families and their communities to meet their basic     needs and to increase their ability to participate in and benefit from their societies Building relationships to increase understanding and unity among people of different     cultures and countries. Promoting the rights and interests of the world’s children. Making the world a better place for children; these are the Strategic Directions of Plan India. Being a CCCD organization Making a long term commitment to children living in poverty To reach out to as many children as possible Working in partnership and alliances with partner NGOs, government bodies and     corporates. Being a recognised platform for children’s voice to be heard.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SESAME STREET

I have been a bad blogger and have not held true to my word about spreading the word on one non-profit organization a day. Boooo! Hiss! Hiss! On me. I do apologize, it has been a hectic week.

I know this is the month of Thanksgiving, but a little birthday took place this week for a television show that impacted many children's lives. Sesame Street turned 40 this week!!!! I grew up watching Sesame Street, and I know many other people did as well.

It made me want to see if there was something Sesame Street offered non-profit wise to help that helped the community. I figured I'd discover their suggestion to be to donate to pbs.org - which by the way is a great place to donate for valuable and educational entertainment. I encourage donating to them so they can continue to produce quality television programming.

A pleasant surprise was greeted to me instead. Sesame Street does have a not for profit organization called Sesame Workshop (http://www.sesameworkshop.org/home). I encourage anyone who loves kids, who has kids, who wants to help kids, take a moment to visit their very well laid out website.

He is a brief who, what, and why of Sesame Workshop:

Who We Are

Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit educational organization making a meaningful difference in the lives of children worldwide by addressing their critical developmental needs.

What We Do

The Workshop develops innovative and engaging educational content delivered in a variety of ways  — including television, radio, books, magazines, interactive media, and community outreach. Taking advantage of all forms of media and using those that are best suited to delivering a particular curriculum, the Workshop effectively and efficiently reaches millions of children, parents, caregivers, and educators — locally, nationally and globally.

Why We Do It

The Workshop is committed to the principle that all children deserve a chance to learn and grow; to be prepared for school; to better understand the world and each other; to think, dream and discover; to reach their highest potential.

Go their way and take moment to check out their website. www.sesameworkshop.org

Feed the Children

Halloween is over and now it's time to think of Thanksgiving. I am not quite sure about anyone else, but this year has just flown by. This is the time to give. I thought I would start this month blogging about the hunger. It absolutely kills me to see any child go hungry. It is sad to see any human go hungry or without clean water.

I want to start the season of Thanksgiving with helping our Nation's hungry, and also spotlight world hunger, and by Thanksgiving I will get into farming. All in the celebration of Thanksgiving. Maybe in the coming days you will find an organization that inspires you to help the less fortunate.

Today's orgnaization helps feed the hungry children of the United States. Not only do they help feeding children in the United States, but their mission is to feed all the children. Please take a moment to go to www.feedthechildren.org.

About Feed The Children

Our Mission

Feed The Children is a Christian, international, nonprofit relief organization with headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty, or natural disaster.

What We Do

During our 30-year history, Feed The Children has grown into one of the world's largest private organizations dedicated to helping hungry and hurting people. Last year, Feed The Children shipped 133 million pounds of food and other essentials to children and families in all 50 states and in 34 foreign countries, supplementing more than 760,000 meals a day worldwide. Since our founding in 1979 by Larry and Frances Jones, Feed The Children has reached out to help children and families in 119 countries around the globe.

Fundraiser Halloween

Okay, so I said I was going to talk about farming today, I think I'm going to save that one for a later date. Here is a way EVERYONE can help their favorite cause!!! Have a Fundraiser Halloween Party!!!!! Raise money to donate to your favorite charity.

* Throw a keg party, ask for donations

* Turn your garage in a haunted house and ask for donations.

Come up with ideas tonight and raise money for your favorite cause this Halloween.

I do want to take a moment to highlight an organization that accepts donated costumes for kids. Maybe this will inspire someone to do the same in their neck of the woods.

BlewGreen.org, a local San Antonio sustainability Web site, along with Blond Creative and Roy Maas' Youth Alternatives Inc., a non-profit organization that aids abused and neglected children put into foster care, are presenting the first annual Halloween Costume Drop and Treat for Kids in Crisis.
Families can drop off old, gently used Halloween costumes at participating locations through Oct. 31 and get a coupon for 25 percent off a purchase at the Roy Maas' Youth Alternatives' Thrift Shop on 3103 West Avenue through Nov. 30.

Get ready peeps. Start thinking of holidays and the gift of giving. Starting tomorrow I will be highlighting non-profit organizations and throwing out crazy ideas in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

T.G.I.F.

I have decided to make every Friday a happy hour. A happy hour to help the environment, to help people, to help community, to help planet earth. Let's take a look at Los Angeles this evening with some pics:

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Damn, I bet that is one beautiful city, but I unable to tell with all the smog.....and yes, I did not say fog, that my friends is smog. There is a great group in the city of L.A. that wants to have a killer happy hour and everyone living in that area can get involved. All you need is a bicycle.

The web is ww.la-bike.org. they have a care-free Friday and here is there care-free Friday mission statement:

Car-Free Friday encourages more people to ride a bike at least one day a month. Experience the greater Los Angeles area by bike and stay healthy, save money, reduce green house gas emissions and have fun! Get a friend who does not ride yet, to join you on the last Friday of the month to ride to work, to party, to shop, to eat, to hang, TO BIKE IT!!

Google the pics of L.A. my friends. That is not a beautiful skyline of fog like San Francisco, that is smog, nasty smog.

Smog, is part of a carbon footprint that we all create. Because we all create a carbon footprint there is an organization that recognizes our footsteps at www.carbonfund.org. What I like about this site is not only can you calculate your individual carbon footprint, but you can also calculate it from a business standpoint. Please take a moment to check them out. As usual, I have included their mission statement:

Our Mission: toward a ZeroCarbon™ world

Carbonfund.org is leading the fight against global warming, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to reduce & offset their climate impact and hasten the transition to a clean energy future. Carbonfund.org achieves its goals through:

• Climate change education
• Carbon offsets and reductions
• Public outreach

This is one website to include in your favorites my friends.

Tomorrow, get ready for some farming!!!!

Once I discovered in my early twenties that I wanted to help the world. I found more, and more wonderful organizations that are trying to make a difference. Today's featured organization is a nobel-prize winning group that wants what seem to be common sense. Unfortunately, humans are not treated with basic human rights around the world. Non-profit groups like Amnesty International are fighting for human rights.

Please take a moment to visit their website http://www.amnestyusa.org/  and read the below mission statement.

Remember helping the world comes in all forms, monetarily, spare time, writing a letter to a congressman, etc. Everyone can help a out.

Our Mission



We are people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights. Our purpose is to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. We investigate and expose abuses, educate and mobilize the public, and help transform societies to create a safer, more just world. We received the Nobel Peace Prize for our life-saving work.


With more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in over 150 countries, and complete independence from government, corporate or national interests, we work to protect human rights worldwide. Our vision is of a world in which every person - regardless of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity - enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

Founded in 1961, our organization has campaigned successfully in recent years for the International Criminal Court and a UN Torture Treaty. Through our research and action, governments have been persuaded to stop human rights violations and change their laws and practices. Death sentences have been commuted. Torturers have been brought to justice. And prisoners of conscience have been released. We ask you to join us - to take action and stop human rights abuses wherever they occur.

Every1 Can Help

This blog is created to find ways you can help the world. The world needs help, and I am a firm believer if every single person found one cause to be passionate about the world would be such a better place. My mission is to blog about non-profit organizations, green collar jobs, and anything and everything to make the world a better place.

It does not always take a monetary donation to help. There are so many other ways to help the world be a better place. Hopefully, everyone who reads will find inspiration one day to give any way they can.

If anyone would like to share an organization that they are passionate about please share. Let's make this world a loving and caring community. We are all human and need to embrace the love and compassion we can share with others.

I would like my first post to share an important organization that was my first inspiration to help others. International Campaign for Tibet. Here is their mission statement:

ICT's Mission

The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) works to promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet. ICT does the following:

• Monitors and reports on human rights, environmental and socio economic conditions in Tibet;

• Advocates for Tibetans imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs;

• Works with governments to develop policies and programs to help Tibetans;

• Secures humanitarian and development assistance for Tibetans;

• Mobilizes individuals and the international community to take action on behalf of Tibetans; and

• Promotes self-determination for the Tibetan people through negotiations between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama.

Founded in 1988, ICT is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization with offices in Washington, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels and field offices in Dharamsala and Kathmandu.

Please take a moment to at least visit the website at www.savetibet.org.