Author Archives: givetoday

Big news!

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It’s here. After months (years) of prayers, listening, waiting, dreaming, tinkering, playing…it’s here.

GingerLaneLogo

Inspired by Al Andrews, to become an improbable philanthropist.

Inspired by Jon Acuff, to Start. (First inspired by Quitter, but I can’t quit my day job as a mom.)

Inspired by Rebecca at Better Life Bags (where I first admitted my dream “Design something awesome + Change people’s lives”), Megan at She Does Justice and Sarah at BeCause to start a business that combines creative talents & giving.

Inspired by Mike Donehey to sponsor children through Compassion.

Grateful for the encouragement of friends and strangers that have purchased bags already.

Come on over to GingerLaneGoods.com or the Ginger Lane Goods Etsy store or the Spoonflower fabric store!

BeCause ~ Beautiful Jewelry for a Cause

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I received the most wonderful Mother’s Day gifts from my family. Beautiful jewelry from BeCause that provided 66 school meals for children. Sixty-six meals! That’s incredible!

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(She even included a note from my boys…so perfect!)

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(Let’s just focus on the earrings, and how these provided 33 school meals through WFP,  and not my eye wrinkles…)

Sarah Manthey started BeCause with a heart for giving and a talent for jewelry design. A grant writer for World Food Program USA (WFP USA) and an avid jewelry maker, she combined interests by giving school meals with every purchase. In her own words:
 ”After I had been with WFP USA for a few months, I thought that there might be a way to merge two of my passions–handmade jewelry and giving back.  I started brainstorming and came up with the idea of BeCause.  With lots of help and support from my friends and family, I launched my Etsy page (www.etsy.com/shop/smanthey) in November 2012 and then officially launched BeCause in December with a Trunk Show.
With each sale, I donate 15% of the proceeds to fund WFP USA.  I translate each purchase into the amount of school meals that it would provide to give my customers a lasting understanding of the real difference they are helping to make.  As of April 23, 2013, BeCause has provided 1,691 school meals!  This number gives me hope that every piece sold makes a difference because it means another few meals that we can provide–another future we can brighten.”
In just a few months, she has donated around 1700 school meals! That is amazing. And her jewelry is gorgeous and beautifully made. Here are a few beauties, but be sure to check out her entire collection on Etsy!

Reece’s Rainbow (Host a Lemonade Stand)

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I’m excited to have Rachel, a fellow Influence Network-er, here sharing her story and giving project. This is a great way to get your kids involved in giving: host a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to Reece’s Rainbow.

The mission of Reece’s Rainbow is to rescue orphans with Down syndrome through the gift of adoption, to raise awareness for all of the children who are waiting in 25 countries around the world, and to raise funds as adoption grants that help adoptive families afford the high cost of adopting these beautiful children.

About Reece’s Rainbow

Please visit Rachel’s blog for a list of great tips for hosting a Lemonade Stand for Reece’s Rainbow  and let her know that you will be joining her Lemonade Stand Campaign!

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I am thankful and honored to have this opportunity to guest post today.  So that you know a little bit of who you are hearing from here are the basics, I am 34 year old wife to a soon to be pastor, (he is finishing up seminary this summer.) I am a mother to five wonderful(most of time) children(one of which is due to be born any day now.) Our life is often messy but in the mess we get to see God make something beautiful in our lives.  I would love for you to come by my blog, www.make-something-beautiful.com and get to know my family and I better.

 My heart grew significantly for orphans with Down Syndrome and special needs after the birth and Down Syndrome diagnosis of my first Son Sam in 2009. 

After Sam was born while doing research on the Internet on his condition, Down Syndrome I discovered an amazing organization called Reece’s Rainbow. They are in the business of redeeming orphans with special needs. Special needs orphans are the bottom of the barrel as far as orphans go, they are often living is horrible conditions with out adequate housing, clothing, food, medical care and worst of all human interaction. Often children with mild and moderate disabilities are left in crib rooms for there whole life, never escaping the bars and white walls.

JOIN US and “MAKE A STAND FOR ORPHANS!!” Host a lemonade stand in the month of May or collect change to give toward the redemption of beautiful special needs children around the world.  You can give  directly to Reece’s Rainbow and receive a tax deduction. FOR MORE TIPS PLEASE VISIT MY BLOG AND LET LEMONADE BE USED TO REDEEM!!

Make & Give Away: Headbands

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LLBS-Tutorial

You can put a smile on the face of a terminally ill child! Remember Sarah’s guest post about her Little Ladybug Shoppe? She is sharing how she makes the headbands and clip-on accessories that she hands out at local Children’s Hospitals. So now you can make them too and distribute to children at your local hospital! (Please be sure to contact your local organization’s volunteer coordinator before donating.)

These headbands and accessories are easy enough that school-age children can make them, with a little help from an adult. What a great way to teach kids about giving to others! Email me if you are able to participate – we would love to hear about your experience!

From Sarah:

Little Ladybug Shoppe has the unique opportunity to provide handmade hair accessories to young girls diagnosed with terminal illnesses.  It is my hope that this small act of kindness will be a true blessing to them.

I wanted to add my reasoning behind these nylon headbands.  Since the girls who will be receiving these bands have terminal illnesses, I wanted to be considerate of the fact that they might have no hair due to chemo, bruise easily due to medication or treatments, or very sensitive skin due to their specific condition.  I thought the soft nylon bands would be the most comfortable option, and allowing the removable accessories would add some fun and variety.
Thank you so much for your interest in joining Little Ladybug Shoppe‘s mission to bless terminally ill children.  I hope we can be a ray of sunshine to them all.
Below is the tutorial for just the headband.
Supplies needed:
Colored nylons
1″ wide ribbon (color to match the nylons)
Fat quarters
Needle
Thread
Plain metal alligator clips
Hot glue gun
The band
1. Cut one leg of the pair of nylons and then cut down at the toe so you basically have a “sleeve”.
2. Measure 18″ and trim off any excess fabric.
3. Bring the two ends together and tuck one end inside the other.  Make sure it measures 8.5″ to make a standard child’s size headband.
4. Thread a running stitch to join the two ends together.
5. Pull the thread tightly so the fabric bunches up where you placed your stitch.
6. Wind the thread around the bunch several times and then finish with a couple of finishing knots in the back.
7. Cut a three inch piece of ribbon and use a hot glue gun to secure it around the fabric bunch.  Make sure it is tight, but just loose enough to slip an alligator clip underneath.
Please visit the Little Ladybug Shoppe for the rest of the tutorials. Learn how to make the clip-on accessories: bows, flowers and rosettes!

Shoes for Shriners

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Katie and Bryan, friends from a former church, recently reached out with a new giving project they are launching: Shoes for Shriners. Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Boston is one of the world’s leading centers for pediatric burn care. And, unfortunately, they experienced the hospital first-hand when their then toddler, Eden, was accidentally burned.

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In their own words:

People come from all over the world to be seen at this hospital, and for good reason; the care is phenomenal. What’s more, Shriner’s does not charge its patients a penny. Not a penny, whether they could afford it or not. They only recently began accepting payments from insurance.

One of the beautiful things about this place is that they are committed to making patients – and their families – comfortable while they are at the hospital, and providing tangible goods to make the stay easier. Within twenty-four hours of our arrival we were given a bag with toys, some regular clothing, and a handmade blanket (which Eden still sleeps with every day at daycare). We didn’t know we “needed” these things, but the level of care and thought that they represented literally brought us to tears.

Shriner’s gets donations from many places, and they thankfully always have plenty of toys. But the one thing they always need is shoes. We see this need as an opportunity for our family (and hopefully some of you!) to serve a place that does so much good, that has done so much good for us in particular, and to help them serve and bless others as they did us not so long ago. We are all very excited about this opportunity, and we hope you’ll join us! But if you can’t swing it this year, no sweat, we understand! We plan to make this an annual tradition, so there will be more chances.

Click to read more about Shoes for Shriners.

How can you help?

1. Purchase sneakers in any size from toddler size 7 up (all the way to adult sizes!) and get them to Katie & Bryan by May 4 (Email them: shoesforshrinersboston@gmail.com for the mailing address.)

and/or

2. Donate funds which we will use to buy sneakers on May 4th/5th. Donations can be done through Paypal using the email: shoesforshrinersboston@gmail.com
They are planning to deliver the shoes to Shriner’s sometime during the first full week in May.

To Boston, with love

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I was born in Boston, raised here and still live in the vicinity.

Marathon Monday has always been my favorite day in the city. The cheering is relentless. The runners, inspiring.

I worked in the building behind where the first bomb went off. We used to gather in the windows to watch the marathon, having the best view of Boylston and the finish line. I would walk home along the marathon route, clapping and cheering for those who had been running 5+ hours. But they were still going. They never stopped. Their will and determination always left me with goosebumps.

I am heartbroken for my city. For the families who lost loved ones. For those that lost limbs. For those whose lives will never be the same. For the runners who didn’t get to finish. For the evil that remains in this world.

But I am also encouraged by the love. Of the first responders. Of strangers. Good will always triumph over evil.

OldTryPatriotsDay

Within hours of the bombing, my favorite print shop, Old Try, created a print, based on the first flag of New England, where 100% of the profits will be donated here to benefit the victims.

Please join TUGG and the technology community in supporting those impacted by the bombing at this year’s Boston Marathon. All proceeds will be donated completely to programs working with victims of the attacks including Red Cross, Children’s Hospital, and others. Both TUGG and fundraise.com are donating 100% of their fees so that all of your support goes directly to helping those in need. This is a terrible injustice and we are proud to stand as a community to help repair the lives of those who have been hurt.

Learn More: TUGG (Technology Underwriting Greater Good) on Fundraise.com

Buy the Print Here

or

Donate Directly

Little Ladybug Shoppe

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I’m so excited to have Sarah from Life and Grace here to share her service project. I highly recommend visiting her blog, especially to read about her daughter Evie. It is such a beautiful and heart-wrenching story. All the more reason I am so inspired with how Sarah has turned that loss to something so positive: Little Ladybug Shoppe.

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Hi there!  My name is Sarah and I blog over at Life and Grace.  Recently I launched my own little service project, Little Ladybug Shoppe, in honor of my daughter, Evie Caris, who died four hours after she was born.

About six weeks before Evie was born my husband and I had an appointment with a neonatologist at our local children’s hospital to discuss Evie’s postnatal care.  Upon entering the lobby I noticed a young cancer patient sitting near a window, her hair gone from the chemo treatments she was enduring.  She needs a headband, I thought.  I vowed then and there to somehow find a way to make headbands to give to little girls like this one.

Not quite five months later, Little Ladybug Shoppe was born and donated several sets of headbands and accessories to the oncology floor at that same children’s hospital.  And now another unique opportunity has presented itself.

Little Ladybug Shoppe will soon begin working on 50 sets of hair accessories and 50 superhero capes to be given out to the patients of Edmarc Hospice for Children.  And the best part … I will be able to personally distribute these items at their Family Picnic in June.  So unbelievably exciting!

Certainly it’s a lofty goal to attain, but not impossible.  Here is where you come in:

Ways to give:

  • Donate money!  You can donate to the Little Ladybug Shoppe through the paypal button on my blog (located on the right hand sidebar). All donations will be used to purchase the supplies needed to create the hair accessories and superhero capes for Edmarc’s patients.  My estimate is that it will cost somewhere between $400-$500 to create these items.
  • Donate supplies!  Here is a list of items needed: nylons (any and all colors, preferably bright, fun ones), plain metal alligator clips, or fabric (again, bright fun colors, preferably solid or with a very subtle pattern).  If you’d like to donate any of these supplies, please email me at sarahjrieke@gmail.com and I will give you my mailing address.
  • Purchase an item from my amazon store!  All proceeds will go toward purchasing supplies for the Little Ladybug Shoppe.
  • Purchase ad space!  If you are a blogger or business owner, consider purchasing ad space on Life and Grace.  Again, all money made through my blog will go directly into funding the Little Ladybug Shoppe’s service projects.
  • But most importantly … be inspired!  I truly am humbled and touched that you are interested in donating to the Little Ladybug Shoppe, but I would love for LLS to inspire you to create your own service project.  Maybe you can host a craft show to help fund a friend’s adoption or hold a car wash to benefit a food bank in your area.  Many not-for-profit organizations have a “wish list” on their website – maybe you can think of a creative way to provide some of those much-needed items.  
Thank you again for your interest in the Little Ladybug Shoppe.  My hope is to continue to provide handmade items to lift the spirits of terminally ill children, and to inspire others to think of ways to reach out to those in need in their own communities, all in honor of my sweet Evie-girl.  


Do you have a service project or giving story to share? Email me!