Archive for the ‘Give’ Category

I just have to give a shout out to Craigslist.  Specifically Craigslist-Portland.  Todd and I re-did our computer room.  To us it was past time.  In doing so, we had a hide-a-bed couch and computer desk sitting in the garage needing a home.  Neither one of them belonged in a landfill.  They were both in good condition, both well used, and they just needed somewhere new to go.  So I posted both of them on craigslist for free. 

Within 10 minutes I had 5 requests from Craigslist and a total of 15 requests for the furniture by the time they were picked up and in a new home!  Within 2 hours from the time I posted the add on craigslist, both the couch and desk went to a new home of a newly widowed woman who has two young daughters.  Thank you CRAIGSLIST!  You are AWESOME!  If you’ve never experienced Craigslist, check it out.  They have something for everyone!

Another great gift idea!!  Trees for Life. 

Check out www.treesforlife.org  This organization is helping our world, fighting poverty and world hunger by educating and giving resourceful items, such as fruit bearing trees.  You get to give gifts of empowerment to needed communities.  I want to write more, however, their site is so full of information, it tells it how it is.  Below I give many links so you can check it out!

Go to the Catalog of Gifts and you can purchase a life giving tree (10 trees for $10! what a DEAL), books for the community to educate and empower them, Moringa Trees also known as the Miracle Tree (which is not only highly nutritious, but may also cure up to 300 diseases), help build a library or learning center, etc, the list of items goes on!  I love this site.  I think it is super exciting that we can do this all over the internet.   Plus, what a perfect match for In Honor Of!   You can do all these plus more as gifts, in honor of a friend or family member. 

Keep in mind….This is a fantastic idea to give this as a gift to your child’s teacher who probably has a billion coffee mugs already!

Any readers may recal a post I wrote about the North Beach Paws in Ocean Shores, Wa.  It is just one of the many fabulous groups who help save animals, love them til they are healthy and adopt them out.  I just received an email from Lois regarding a new tenant named Angel.  She is very unhealthy and needs lots of treatment and love or this could be fatal for her. 

If you are looking for one more source to help this holiday season, please consider Angel.  Information on how to help with Angel’s vet costs is within her story at the North Beach Paws site.  Below is Lois’s plea.

Letter from Lois:
Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors,
 
Lee and I volunteer for the local North Beach PAWS organization.  Friday morning we went to the kennels to care for the dogs.  We discovered a new dog that was just rescued by our volunteers and given the name Angel.  Angel is going to require many vet visits and medicine in order to first survive, and then be spayed and vaccinated before she can be available for adoption.  Angel’s story is on Petfinder.com.  Select “dog” and give “98569″ as a zip code and that site will take you to the animals of North Beach PAWS.  Read Angel’s story.
 
It isn’t like to me ask this kind of thing, but she so deserves to live.  All of you are animal lovers.  That’s how you made my list.   Times are tough right now and it’s almost Christmas as well.  However, if you are touched by Angel’s story and would consider a donation to help pay for her medical needs, please send a check to North Beach PAWS c/o Linda Ready, P. O. Box 962, Ocean Shores, WA 98569.  Be sure to state the donation is for Angel’s medical needs.  No amount is too small.
 
I promise not to make a habit of asking for money.  I feel rather like the adds on television, but this little girl just touches my heart and I want to try to help her.
 
Lois Schuster

To those who do not live in Washington State or who did not catch the national news last week, on November 29th, a tragic and unfortunate event took place in Lakewood, WA.  4 police officers lost their lives to a guman who entered the coffee shop where they sat, and took their lives.  The story is horrific for the families, the community and for all of our working heroes. 

To help the families of these 4, the restaurant chain Papa John’s will be doing a fundraiser.  So to all Washington readers, on Tuesday, 12/08/09 and Wednesday, 12/09/09, fourty of  Western Washington Papa Johns Pizza restaurants in KING, PIERCE , THURSTON and KITSAP COUNTIES are donating their profits to the families of the Officers in Lakewood. 

From what I understand, you need to mention you heard about the fundraiser and would like to participate through your pizza order.  I hope they stay true to this!  Let’s see if they do and have a pizza next Tuesday and Wednesday!  So if you are in King, Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap County, remember to check it out!

Dear Readers,

Interested in making an immediate difference in someone’s life?  I am in need of some fanastic social networking (think charity-like, not eharmony-like). 

One my best friends in the world, Whitney (you might recognize the name for my previous post about friendships) – is a “family advocate” which basically is a case manager for high-risk families.  She often finds herself in need of finding items for some of the families that she works with… she has an urgent need for a few items.  And I’m wondering if anyone out there might be able to help us out.

1. Do you happen to have any of the items that her families need?
2. Do you know of someone who might have these items and could forward this request on to them?
3. Do you have any good suggestions for local resources we could use/people we could conact to find these items?

ITEMS NEEDED

• 2 twin beds
• a dining room table
• blankets
• comforters

These are actual needs for REAL PEOPLE – not just to fill a warehouse for future needs.  If you think you can help, please send me an email at Jenny@inhonorof.com or post a comment HERE.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.  I appreciate any help you can provide.

Love, Jenny

How many of you readers have thought about making a donation to a charity in someone else’s name as a gift this holiday season?  What better way to say “things that are important to YOU, are important to ME” than by supporting a cause that’s close to your gift recipient’s heart?  It’s also a great gift for that person on your list that seems to already “have everything” or someone just flat-out… well… a bit “selective” (aka: a friendly way to say picky!).   Throughout this season you might read a few suggestions from fellow readers as to good causes or charities that enable you to make donations on behalf or in the name of someone else.   A great tool, if you’re curious about this type of gift giving is Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org).  This is a great resource for researching more information about select charities (over 5,000 charities are evaluated on this site!), rating the chairities, giving you suggestions for types of charities you might be interested in, and tips for selecting a good charity.

One charity I find myself donating to each year is the Oregon Humane Society.  It’s reviewed on Charity Navigator.  You can find out great information here -  the charity’s expenses, contact information, summaries, similar charities, etc. 

If you’re thinking of giving a meaningful or different kind of gift this year, consider supporting a charity In Honor Of someone you care about.   Charity Navigator might help you find the perfect charity or help you examine one you are already considered!

Let me know if you know any other tools for finding and evaluating charities this holiday season.  Send me an email at Jenny@inhonorof.com or leave a comment here.  I’d love to hear more!

Today is December First.  The Holiday Season is upon us – it’s true!  While I can’t seem to figure out how 2009 has blown by so fast, I can’t help but smile as I see the decorations in stores, hear the music in our office lobby, and see the holiday cheer in people’s faces!  I absolutely love this time of year – which is probably reflected in the fact that within this past week I’ve already completed some of my shopping (now for the exciting part of wrapping them beautifully!) and purchased/decorated my Christmas Tree! 

The Finishing Touch

Hanging Ornaments

Selecting the Perfect Tree

John and I woke up early on BLACK FRIDAY this past week to join in the Yuletide spirit of shopping for our loved ones.   John eventually gave up on Best Buy – seeing the lines wrapped around the store and the massive number of people packed around each display (I had jumped out and ran in Michael’s instead – ahhh….  I love the Craft Store!) though we did manage to get to Video Only (at John’s request, and to my disappointment – the store really DOES mean “VIDEO ONLY!”  I mean, how many TV’s can one person look at in a day??  Apparently my tolerance is about 4 tvs.  I then get very very very bored).

~A CHANGE IN THOUGHT~

A few years ago I became tired of giving the usual holiday presents (a travel mug here, a half-zip shirt there, and countless gifts in between).  Now please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t dislike or frown upon material gifts – I’ve cried tears of Joy opening my breadmaker (note to self: get a bit more exciting of a life), screamed in delight at my basketball hoop, jumped for joy over Coach purses, adored clothing I’ve received, books I’ve read, cd’s I’ve listened to, etc. etc. etc. - all coming from various friends and family members.  What I DON”T like is the moments I find myself choosing between gifts that have no meaning.  Everyone reading this has probably done it at some point- such as choosing between comfy socks and mittens for your coworker, a santa figurine or a starbucks giftcard for your neighbor, a reindeer sweater or a pair of leggings for your brother-in-law (JUST KIDDING, CHRIS – aka, world’s greatest brother in law – you won’t receive either from me this Christmas!).

This month I’m going to give you some ideas for gifts with meaning.  Maybe donating to an organization we’ve mentioned on our site before in honor of someone, or selecting an item who donates it’s proceeds to a charity, to a million other ideas.  I’d love to hear from you as well as to ideas for THOUGHTFUL and MEANINGFUL gifts.  Please submit a comment and let me (and our fellow readers) know!

Kiva.org

I’d like to start with highlighting Kiva (www.kiva.org).  This is a great website and an incredible organization.  Todd & Jessy introduced me to it a little over 2 years ago.  Since then, I’ve become a lender and have also purchased gift cerftificates for all of my family members to become active with this process.  With Kiva, they let YOU loan to low income entrepreneurs across the world.  Please read more about it here, and take a moment to check out what the website encompasses.  This might be an excellent choice for a holiday gift (either a gift certificate so THEY can participate, or maybe choosing one of their great gifts), or perhaps you’ll want to become a lender yourself.  You have options to choose the region, sector, or gender in which you’d like to assist, and can read and choose from countless real people, needing real help.   It’s an incredible journey to follow along this microfinanced loan – from initial fundraising to the repayment of loans. Check out a great video about this unique process here.

Keep checking back at In Honor Of this month to read about some great ideas this holiday season!

My best to all of you…

Love, Jenny

Help me find a good charity!

A few weeks ago, my mom (Laurie), John & I went downtown Portland to go see “Capitalism” – the new Michael Moore Movie.  (on a side note, I thought this was a great movie).  We arrived a little early after dinner at The Farm Cafe (also highly recommended!), and decided to walk down to Nordstrom to spend a few minutes looking around.  While we were exiting the store, we saw a little old lady pushing her cart toward the door.  When I say little, I mean little!  This lady was bent to almost a 90-degree angle at the waist so her upper half was basically parallel with the floor.  The signs of arthritis were evident on her hands, and she had some sort of brace on her left foot/lower leg, and she walked with a limp.   She was on her own, pushing her cart at a slow and steady pace, when we noticed that she was headed straight for a set of stairs!  I have no idea if she had a plan to tackle this obsticle (She was so frail and manuevering the cart down a flight of stairs seemed unthinkable!) or if she had even noticed what was in front of here, a mere 10 feet or so.

Immediately we approached her and asked if she’d like assistance… she said yes and John scooped up her cart and carried it down the stairs for her, while my mother and I assisted her on either side down the stairs.  She mentioned that she was headed home, but declined any assistance we offered to help her navigate the rainy streets.  As she shuffled along, I felt helpless to see her go – dressed in an old jacket, too worn to provide much warmth and doing little to protect her from the rain.

Since that event, I have gone through my closet and pulled all of my clothing that I no longer wear.  It’s time to put them to good use.  In the past, I’ve made countless trips to the Goodwill, but THIS time I looking for a charity or organization that helps the “needy of the needy.”  I want them to be donated so that they are dispersed without charge to those needing the items. 

I’m going to research this a bit, but I could definitely use your help – does anyone have any suggestions?  If so, submit a comment (right at the bottom of this entry) or send me an email (Jenny@inhonorof.com).  I will keep you posted with my own research and where I end up taking my items.

-Jenny

To submit/read comments, click on the link below or right here!

I go in phases during the year where I remember to visit this website daily and wish I remembered all year.  I hope by posting this on InHonorOf I can remind and inspire others to spend 1 minute every day, to go to the website and get Click Happy.  It’s easy.  Go to the Breast Cancer Site , then click where it says “Click Here to Give- It’s Free”.  And voila!…you helped raise money for breastcancer research.  But better yet, click on the Hunger, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforest and Animal Rescue tabs on the top and do it for each organization.  It’s easy and really works!  Get Click Happy!

A great chance to donate or participate!

I am often asked by friends and coworkers that are aware of this website for suggestions of “something good to do.” Most often, these are people just like me – scrambling for time to get their their daily lists (yes. Surprise-Surprise… I’m quite the list maker!) of tasks completed. How in the world would they have time to find a good cause to donate to or research a good service opportunity?

Well one of my favorite things about working on this website is that now and then I’m approached with a fantastic idea, and thus I can share it with you, dear readers!

One of my lovely girlfriends, Colbie Van Eynde, shared something she’s working on… a benefit for Cascade AIDS Project (CAP). She’ll be participating in the 5K Walk on October 11th. Please check out some of the links below. This is a great opportunity to donate to a good cause, to participate your own time and effort (join the walk!) or just to read about CAP!

Check out Cascade AIDS Project here!

Support & Donate Funds for Colbie’s efforts here! (Your donations can even be made IN HONOR OF someone, or In Memory Of – if you would like!)

Participate in the walk or join a team here!

Original Email from Colbie:

Jenny,

Please join me as I take a stand for HIV/AIDS activism. On October
11th, more than 10,000 of us will come together in Pioneer
Courthouse Square with the goal of raising $325,000 for services
provided by Cascade AIDS Project to prevent new HIV infections, care
for people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS, educate communities to
eliminate stigma and shame and advocate for immediate action in
combating the pandemic.

I’m writing to you today to ask for your support as I walk the 5k
(3.1 mi) route and raise much needed funds for HIV and AIDS
prevention, services and advocacy in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Your donation will help Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) continue their
important work in our community:

Please help me reach my goal of $200.00 by making a donation today;
any amount helps! Make checks payable to Cascade AIDS Project, or
donate to me online at www.cascadeaids.org. Your donation will make
a difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by
HIV and AIDS. Thank you for your support!

Warmest Regards,
Colbie Van Eynde

A few months ago, I decided to get my motorcycle endorsement for my license. With the encouragement of a motorcycle loving boyfriend, and the company of a good friend, Doug Dulak of Peak Performance I signed up for a class to learn how to ride. I don’t have my own bike (yet!), but I feel like a much better passanger when riding with others, and it was so much fun! I love the feel of being on a bike – the open road, the wind in my face, the vibrant smells… the whole adventure.

I’ve recently come across a great cause that I’d like to share with you readers. Next week John and I are going to participate in RIDE FOR THE FIGHT, a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Please take a minute to check out the link above – if you’re a rider, this is a great way to do something you love AND make a difference. Or you might just want to attend the BBQ at Blue Lake Park at the end. There’s even the ability to make a donation, if you aren’t a motorcycle enthusiast or if you can’t attend the event.

We’d love to see you there! I’ll be the one in my new motorcycle jacket (a fantastic birthday gift from John) on the back of a beautiful CBR 929!

-Jenny

Goal:  To get 6 people to watch President Obama’s weekly video address for 6 weeks!  Why 6 people?  I’m scared I won’t even get 6, so I will be excited if I do!  Why 6 weeks?  Why not? Join in by submitting a comment below!

Progress: 7 out of 6!!!  The Goal was Met plus one more!  Thank you for joining in!
Remember, that although my goal of getting 6 people to join this is in no way a “closed” challenge – feel free to join our challenge still by submitting a comment, and following our progress through everyone’s 6 weeks of video watching.

In our high-tech, Internet savvy society, President Obama has pledged to keep us updated weekly through a video address posted online.  When I heard he was going to do this, I thought it was so great.  Here is a President, whether you like him or not, who is doing something new, reaching out to this ever-expanding Internet society.  Fabulous!  However, have I yet, in the last 23 weeks watched one video?  No!  Not one. 

As an American Citizen who does not watch the news, and only catches articles on Yahoo! and the Associated Press application on my phone, I feel the responsibility to finally stop and listen to our President.  Maybe I’m getting older and wiser.  I heard that happens.  Regardless, our government does a lot for me, maybe I don’t like everything they do, but I know I am safe and I know I can give them something precious of mine.  My time.  Whether I agree or disagree, I need to hear him first!

Therefore, I now want to honor President Obama’s Internet effort and challenge myself to GIVE 5 minutes a week for 6 weeks dedicated to the President’s weekly video address.  That’s it!  The weekly address is usually just under 5 minutes long.  And I can do it anytime during the week as it is posted online to our avail.  That is only 6 times, 30 minutes of my life over the course of 42 days.  That’s nothing!  I can do it.

And I even think I’ll make this a **Challenge** to all out there.  Anyone ready to dedicate that 1/2 hour of time over the course of 6 weeks to the President of the United States?  Thoughts?  If you decide to take this challenge on, please submit a comment and follow my progress and others’ too by coming back and reading the replies!

This is going to be a short, but sweet one.  I love smiles!  We all know they can be contagious. 

So, In HONOR of smiles, I am going to give out more of them. 

Especially to people I don’t know as I walk by them on the street, at the grocery store and at the gym.  This week my goal will be to give a smile to everyone I pass!  I’ve tried this before and it is harder than you think.  I’ve got to look them in the eye and smile.  Wish me luck!

“I like smiling. Smiling is my favorite.” -Buddy the Elf
Thank you Taryn for reminding me of this fabulous quote!