Arlington National Cemetery at Christmas

I just wanted to share this with our readers.  It is just one example of how creative people can be when service is on their minds. 


Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992 (he had 4,000 wreaths left over and thought about what he could do with them - he remembered visiting the cemetery on a field trip when he was 12 years old and thought decorating the graves of the soldiers who had died for our freedom would be the best use of those wreaths - he has continued to provide wreaths every year since then).  A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Hundred of locals turn out each year to help.


(Our service doesn't have to be on a scale this large.  Just bringing a plate of cookies to a shut in in your neighborhood can make for a happier Christmas).

Letters to Santa = Donations to Make-A-Wish Foundation

Macy's has set up their Letter to Santa stations in their stores.  You can pick up post cards for your children to write their letter on, put a stamp on it, and return it to the store in the red mail box.  For every letter they receive, they will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation (up to $1,000,000!).

Go to :  http://social.macys.com/believe/#/createyourletter  for more information  (and to create your letter on line)

If you are interested in finding out more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Contact the chapter nearest you ( Go to:  http://www.wish.org/chapterlocate ) and ask how you can help.

This would make an excellent service project for primary, young women, church groups, whatever. Adults can write letters too (I mailed mine at the Henderson Macy's  on Sunset this morning).

Spend a Little, Give a Lot

I don’t know about you, but I always get a tug at my heartstrings to help people in need – especially during the holiday season.  This year the need is more urgent than ever. Sit down with your family and decide as a family what you would like to do. Here is a list published by Oprah of her suggested ways to give:

For as little as:

$  5         you can pay for the shipping of 10 books to a classroom in
               Africa.       booksforafrica.org

$10         you can help a wounded veteran adapt his home at no cost
               to him.       homesforourtroops.org

$10       you can help get music back in low-income schools

              ($2 buys drum sticks, $50 buys a guitar)

               littlekidsrock.org

$14         you can provide for two meals to be delivered by meals
               on wheels to a housebound senior citizen.

                mowaa.org

$25         you can send 8 high-risk children on a field trip to a museum
               or concert.    createnow.org

$25         you can feed an American child in need three meals a day
               for more than a month.       strength.org/ways_to_give

$35         you can help feed the poor in areas of the world that need
               it most.          foodforthepoor.org

$100       you can provide 25 grocery bags of healthy foods for
               families at food banks.    strength.org/ways_to_give

Or browse this site for other ideas.

Holiday Service Opportunities

Make November and December special months for remembering the aged who are disabled, impoverished or aching with loneliness. Redefine Thanksgiving and Christmas as seasons for preparing to bring hope and peace  to needy older neighbors. Share dinner with a new neighbor or one who is alone. You could also take dinner to a shut-in. A neighborhood potluck supper could help those who live around you feel a spirit of friendship and acceptance. (Be sure to include the needs of elderly members of your own family in your holiday preparations).

Have children craft greeting cards, assemble food baskets or make supervised home or hospital visits.

Why not surprise them with a Christmas stocking.

Items for "Senior Stockings" such as note cards, stamps, personal care, ornaments, new dish towels and napkins, gift boxes of dried fruit or candy, gum, mugs, knit gloves and slippers, candles, photo frames, stationery, and gift certificates.

Have your children go with you to deliver it. What a nice way to brighten their day.

Halloween Candy Buyback! (Candy goes to the TROOPS!)

Participating dentists will buy back your Halloween candy for $1 a pound. then send it to the troops overseas! What a great way to brighten the day of an American soldier.

How does the program work?

• Participating dentists buy back kids' Halloween candy at a scheduled event
• Dentists send the candy to Operation Gratitude or other Military support groups
• Operation Gratitude sends the candy  to U.S. Military deployed in harm's way

You'll enjoy peace of mind knowing you’re making Service Members smile!

You'll set a great example for the next generation to give back!

Go to    http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/    and enter your zip code to find a participating dentist near you.   Call the dentist to find out when and how he/she is collecting.

Treats for Troops

Ttreats for the Troops provides care packages year round for our troops.  You can send items to them to ship, or send money for them to purchase what is needed.  Check out their website: 
http://treatsforthetroops.us/

Support the Troops: Holiday Stockings

It is never too early to start thinking about supporting our troops at Christmas.

Operation Holiday Stockings is a nonprofit founded by family members of the United States Armed Forces. Last year they sent 1,560  Christmas stockings to our brave troops overseas. This year they are hoping to send even more. Their website was created to inform other patriotic Americans about their cause and provide a means for you to help. You can either visit the Stockings page and make your own stockings to send overseas, or you can donate money towards the shipping costs, or donate items to fill the stockings with.  Here are some suggestions:

• Hard Candy
• Beef Jerky
• Decks of Cards
• Puzzle Books
• Small Toiletries
• Shaving Cream
• Toothpaste
• Tooth Brushes
• Tic-Tacs®
• Drink Powders
• Gatorade®
• Kool-Aid® (sugar added)
• Crystal Clear®
• Mixed Nuts
• Candy Canes
• Anything that will last for a while because they will probably be getting more than one care package.

You can also send them a store purchased stocking. So, even if you can't knit a stocking for the troops, you can still contribute to their Christmas celebration. 
Go to their website or email Sue at:
ramsddj@aol.com 

You can send items to

Operation Holiday Stockings

P.O. Box 3186

Sequim, WA 98382

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  as of 10/29/2011  they only have 850 stockings to send to the troops.  They are committed to sending 1600.  This would be an excellent service project for a church group, scout troop, etc.
It is also a great way to involve your own children and let them experience the satisfaction that comes from serving others.

:
 

Give Without Spending a Cent:

Give Without Spending a Cent:

You can donate without spending a cent, by clicking on sites where advertisers make a donation in return. Click on the links below, then click daily to help the cause:

• To Help Children
• To Fund Breast Cancer Research
• The Hunger Site
• To Help Animals
• To Protect the Environment 

between Jan and June of 2011:
421,095 children have been helped
2,349 free mammograms have been given
30.6 million cups of food have been given to the hungry
40.8 million bowls of food have been given to rescued animals*
291.1  million square feet of rain forest has been protected

 between Jan and June of 2010:
365,038 children have been helped
1,035 free mammograms have been given
29.5 million cups of food have been given to the hungry
39.9 million bowls of food have been given to rescued animals*
246 million square feet of rain forest has been protected



Keep up the good work!!!  It doesn't cost you a cent!  Click every day!
*Do people really care more about feeding animals than humans?  Apparently so.

Donate your Bridesmaid Dress to Charity

What to do with the dresses after the wedding?

Most bridesmaids never wear their dress again.  The dress gets 

stuck in the back of the closet and stays there for years.  Why
not donate it to someone who would love to have it?  There
are organizations that collect bridesmaid’s dresses to give to
young women who can’t afford a prom dress.  Please go to
their site for information regarding what, when, and how to send.

For Chicago area, go to glassslipperproject.org 

National go to  fairygodmothersinc.com

Donate your old eyeglasses

Donate your old eyeglasses and sunglasses to help people with eyesight difficulties worldwide. (Sunglasses can be non-prescription. They are needed in countries near the equator to help protect people's eyes from sun damage.) Collection facilities include Goodwill Industries stores, LensCrafters stores, and Lions Club drop boxes (click on link to find location near you). Items also can be sent in padded envelopes or boxes to:

New Eyes for the Needy
549 Millburn Avenue
P.O. Box 332
Short Hills, NJ 07078

E-mail ten friends who wear glasses to see if they have old pairs that could be recycled for people with eyesight problems. Collect them for donation.

Check with lost and found departments in hotels, stores, police stations, and mortuaries for unclaimed glasses that could be donated.

Donate your old running shoes to charity

Instead of just throwing away your old shoes when you’re done with them, make the world a greener and happier place! Here's a couple of options:


1. For shoes with holes – or worse! – you can recycle them with Nike’s Reuse-a-shoe program. They grind the shoes up and make rubber pellets that are used to surface playgrounds, tennis courts, running tracks or to make synthetic turf for soccer and football fields. Send up to 10 pairs at a time. This is definitely a worthwhile second life for your old shoes! Mail them to:

Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070

2. For shoes with 100 miles left on them: Send your shoes to runners that are in need of shoes in Africa. Since they will be used again with this program, they should be in relatively good condition, so nothing too shredded!


PLEASE MAIL SHOES TO;

Shoe4Africa
PO Box 6943
Eldoret
Kenya

Q. Do I need to wash them, and what condition should they be in?

A. Shoes can be sent by us, or by you. Sending shoes is the priority, not how clean they are. We like to send shoes that at least have 100-miles worth of wear left in them. This is because we are using the shoes to start the recipient off on a health-drive! Asking them to get fit, get empowered... for the long run. Shoes where the heel or the rubber is worn through to the midsole are not sent. (Please as we end up paying import tax on a lot of shoes in a very decrepid un-usable state)

Q. What is the best way to package the shoes? Is there an official Info US Postal page?

A. Please send in a plain brown cardboard box securely wrapped with plenty of tape. Use USPS Express Mail Intnl shipping method.

Q. What is the best method for shipping?

A. Please send boxes USPS Express Mail International, which usually takes about 6-8 weeks for delivery. (If sending from the USA)

Q. Do I use Insurance, what do I declare, and what boxes should I tick.

A. Please send as an uninsured gift, and not to be returned. The declared amount for 15-pairs of used shoes is marked as $15 ( a subjective amount as the sales value is very low and taxes are charged to the locals upon delivery).

Q. Can I send clothing too?

A. Kenya is currently not accepting donations of secondhand clothes.

Q. What do I declare on the customs slip?

A. Exactly what is in the box - used running shoes.

Q. What happens to the shoes once they arrive? Do the shoes 'always arrive'?

A. The shoes go to trusted coaches who have a proven track record to distribute the shoes amongst athletes. We have a fabulous record so far with the boxes arriving (non returned), but the idea is if a box did not arrive at least it would have been stolen enroute by people who need the shoes!

Q. Can I send any type of shoes? Are some sizes better than others?

A. Most needed are running shoes, secondary spiked shoes, and thirdly leisure shoes. The most popular sizes needed are US6 to US10 (men's). The most needed size? Women's US 8!

If you have questions not answered by those above please feel free to email us. And we welcome your comments! Please contact us with any ideas how to better improve this program, and spread the word. Email: info@shoe4africa.org.

Shop to Serve!

It's difficult finding time to dedicate to local charities when they require a regular commitment. But don't give up! There is still plenty of good you can do in the world from the comfort of your own couch!

Download the “Do Good” toolbar on your computer to have 2.5% of your on-line purchases (at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, etc.) go to charity. As the site explains, "Just by shopping online, you can Do Good^TM , at no extra cost to you. Think about it: Just by doing what you normally do, shopping online, you can help other people and Do Good^TM in the world." Go to: www.dogoodtoolbar.com/Charity  (or, agoodcause.com )


Now buying anything from books to baby supplies can serve as a way of giving back to the community and it won't cost you a dime! (And when your husband complains about all of the baby expenses, you can argue that those darling shoes were a justifiable purchase because part of the proceeds went to charity!)

Teach your children to serve others:

The ways kids learn is by observing YOU. Let your children see you serve others and they will want to join you.

This is an excellent book that will help you find things for your children to do. Click on the following link to see if it is something you might be interested in:

52 Weeks of Fun Family Service

It includes simple things you can do at home such as:

1. Write a letter to a missionary

2. Bake cookies for a neighbor

3. Have children gather up their like new toys to donate to charity

4. Have children write thank you notes to the important people in thier lives.

What other Young Mothers Suggest:

I put out a call to find out what other young mothers are doing or to see if they had any suggestions. Here are their responses:

Lisa suggests:
There are many ways your children will see you doing good for others. At the market if there is an elderly person who needs help reaching for something, you can help. Or help loading their groceries in their car. You can take a meal to a sick friend.
You can also call your local senior center and ask if there are any elderly persons who need help with their grocery shopping or a ride to the doctors, or even just sit and chat and make them lunch. Elderly people are so forgotten and have wonderful stories to tell.

Sara says:

Putting together care packages at home is always a good way to start. We did this over Christmas and involved our 2 year old and she really got into it! You can also make phone calls for certain organizations or mail out flyers for them. Also writing encouraging letters to our soldiers overseas is a wonderful "community service."

Kristin says:

I usually donate household items to local shelters. Several times a year when grocery shopping I buy double, then I take the extra to our local food pantry as a donation. If you belong to a local church ask if they have any programs that you might be able to assist from home.

Elise says:

When my daughter was an infant a I started a block party for our street. It's become an annual thing and has really built a feeling of community on our street. It's a small thing, but makes a big difference, for you and your neighbors.

Tiffany suggests:

Doing a litter clean-up in the local wash/riverbed or park works well. My sister has done this with her two boys (they keep bags in their car) and they actually now look for trash to pick up. Donating to the good will or another local charity, and having them pick out a few things to donate as well, will show that they are fortunate kids and there are always others who need more than they do. Good luck!

Melanie suggests:

You might want to think of finding out about the local women's shelter. They usually train people to work from home on their crisis lines.
If you have older kids too, you can be back up support for lemonade stands and the like as they raise money for charities. Or organize with other mothers around the neighborhood for a combined family garage sale then give the proceeds to some cause.
My friend knits hats for poor people in other countries.

Host a Student from Another Country

The photo above shows "Emma" from Honduras with her American host family

Have you ever wished that you could really experience what it would be like to live in another country?  By hosting a student through the American Field Service, you get to know what his or her culture is like, their food, their holidays, their recreation.  It is a learning (and loving) experience for your whole family.

This was me coming home from Turkey in 1961

I was fortunate enough to be on both sides.  In 1961,  I went to Turkey as an exchange student and lived with a Turkish family.  I have kept in touch ever since and made two more trip there.  My Turkish "sister" has come many times to America.  Then when my daughters were teenagers, we had a student from France come live with us.  It was a great experience for the whole family.

If you'd like to read more about it, go to 
http://www.afsusa.org/host-family/get-started/

Donate Books to a School Library in India

We are collecting books to be shipped to an elementary school in India. So we are looking mostly for children's books, however, they have asked for adult books as well.

If you would like to donate new or like new books, please paste a photo of yourself or your family inside the front cover of the book and enclose a little note why you think they would like that book.

(The children like to see what Americans look like and they get more excited about the books.  The books help them learn English, which will lead to better paying jobs in the future.)

Send to:
Jeri Johnson
P. O. Box 1505
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

$25 a month can save a "Mingi" child

Many innocent children are killed every year because of the “Mingi” practice. We try to save and give proper attention to as many children as possible, but the harsh reality is that without the support of donors, we will not be able to save or provide for additional children. We need your help in order to expand our homes, and provide more food, medical attention, education, and nurturing care. 

What is "Mingi?" 

Mingi is defined as the state of being impure or “ritually polluted” in certain African tribes, including the Kara and Hamar tribes of Southwest Ethiopia. In these tribes, a person, often a child, who is considered mingi is killed by being left alone in the desert or by being drowned in the Omo River. Reasons for being declared impure include birth out of wedlock, birth as a twin, the eruption of teeth in the upper jaw before the lower jaw, and chipping a tooth in childhood.

If you would like to donate, go to:   http://omochild.org/

Donate your gently used magazines

Donate your gently used - like new magazines to MagazineLiteracy.org and they will get them to homeless and domestic violence shelters, to food pantries for delivery with bags of groceries, and to other community literacy programs.

Donate to help Disaster Relief in Japan

SHELTERBOX: ShelterBox responds instantly to natural and man-made disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need. The box includes a tent for a family of 10, cooker, blankets, water purification, tool kit and other items survivors need to rebuild their lives in the days, weeks and months following a disaster. Donate here.

AMERICAN RED CROSS: The American Red Cross is currently supporting and advising the Japanese Red Cross, which continues to assist the government in its response.  You can help people affected by disasters, like floods, fires, tornadoes and hurricanes, as well as countless other crises at home and around the world by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Donate here.

AMERICARES: AmeriCares and its relief workers in Japan are working to deliver medicines and supplies to hospitals, shelters and health responders to treat and care for survivors.  The AmeriCares team began mobilizing within hours of the first reports of the dual disasters, dispatching an emergency response manager to Tokyo to direct the efforts of their relief workers in Sendai, the largest city closest to the impact zone. Their team is in direct contact with local officials, evacuation shelters and hospitals treating the injured in Miyagi, Fukushima and Iwate to determine health needs. Donate here. 

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS: A team of doctors flew to Sendai, where they will be delivering supplies, assessing needs, and identifying communities that have not yet been reached. They continue to coordinate with local health authorities and partners on critical gaps, providing technical expertise and assisting with logistics. Donate here.  

Another way to Write the Troops

The Care Package Project needs cards and letters from you, the American people who support our troops. 

 Please consider working with your office, school, church or organization to make cards or write letters to include in care packages sent overseas. Marines are especially touched by homemade cards from children, or letters that let them know what's going on back home: what books, movies, and music are coming out, or what your day-to-day life is like. Or write a letter to let them know what you're doing here at home to support the troops! 

Mail letters to:

MarineParents.com, Inc.
Attn: Dear Marine
P O Box 1115
Columbia, MO 65205-1115

Guidelines:

• Address cards and letters to "Dear Marine."
• Please do not seal cards and letters in individual envelopes for delivery to the Marines. Instead, place cards and letters inside a larger mailing envelope to send to MarineParents.com.
• Cards and letters must be handwritten, not typed.
• Photo copies of the same letter will not be accepted. One copy of the “Dear Marine” letter will be included in a care package and the duplicates will be discarded.
• Please send cards and letters of support that are unique and thoughtful; it means so much to the men and women defending our freedom

Write to the Troops

 For  a list of soldiers who have requested mail, go to:

 http://anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/

You can also search the site for  detailed instructions of what to send and how to send it.

Donate a Goat!

The gift of a dairy goat represents a lasting, meaningful way for you to help a little boy or girl on the other side of the world.

The gift of a dairy goat can supply a family with up to several quarts of nutritious milk a day - a ton of milk a year. Extra milk can be sold or used to make cheese, butter or yogurt. Families learn to use goat manure to fertilize gardens.

You can donate a goat for $120 (or go in on the purchase of a goat for only $10).  Go to: 
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.2529663/?msource=kw4746  (for other animal donations, click on the "view more Heifer gifts" at the bottom of that page)

"With all the money donated to help fight famine around the world, with all the grandiose plans conceived to conquer poverty, sometimes all it takes to save a child is a goat."  — 60 Minutes, CBS News Magazine Program

52 Nice Things to Do to Make Someone Happy

I'm the author of this book.  It is now out of print so I have put the whole book on the internet so you all can have access to it (for FREE)  Go to:

 52thingsbook.blogspot.com
(Your kids will love doing #25 - "Doorbell Ditching")

Pajama Program

The Pajama Program provides new, warm pajamas and books to children in need in the United States, and around the world, many who are waiting and hoping to be adopted. These are youngsters who may not know the comforts of a mother or father to tuck them into a cozy bed and read them a bedtime story. Too many have been abandoned, most deprived of any love at all.

Oprah featured them on her show and the studio audience brought 35,000 pair of brand new P.J.'s but that doesn't scratch the surface of what they need. There are 100,000 children in the U.S. alone and each child needs more than one pair - and they'll outgrow them, so this is an on-going need. Go to their website and see how you can help:
http://www.pajamaprogram.org/