Category Archives: Altruism

Take Part! Take the Pledge to Protect our Babes from Bullying!

by Julie Posted on April 11, 2013

As the mom of two extremely gentle, somewhat shy little girls, I certainly worry about
Anti_bullyin_posterstheir exposure to peer pressure and bullying.  I feel extremely lucky that at age 7, my eldest has yet to seriously encounter these problems.  I hope to prepare her and her five year old sister, best I can, for the bleak possibilities.  There is only so much to be done on the home-front though.

They are well versed on “stranger-danger,” but when it comes to a child being the culprit or provocateur, there seem to be many more shades of gray.  I feel the need to understand why the bully is behaving in such a way, hoping we can  figure a way to help them and stop them from hurting others.  Unfortunately both psychology and optimism are rather ineffective when your kid is in the thick of it.

icict_bullying2I am a pacifist, and as much as I comprehend the importance of self-defense, I have a hard time teaching my kids to fight back at their tender ages.  But I will because I must.  My best approach thus far is to teach them about asserting themselves, an area where the elder falls short.  It takes a pep talk for her to order her own ice cream; what happens when she may be faced with a bully taunting her or chiding her into making a bad choice?

Take Part has created a pledge, asking us to do our part to curb this terrible epidemic that haunts its victims for life, often creating fear, depression, and anxiety – sometimes even leading to suicide.  This is certainly a movement we can all get behind!  Please click here to sign the pledge and support this important cause!

This a conversation worth having! What are your own fears or experiences when it comes to bullying? How do you feel we can best prepare our youth for these types of encounters?

image source:  Agência Fiocruz de Notícias
Thanks to TakePart for sponsoring today’s discussion!
Posted in Behavior, Bullying, Community, non-profit, Parenting Advice, social awareness, Teaching Compassion, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Giveaway! The Bright Side of Self-Consciousness – Conscious Box.

by Julie Posted on March 19, 2013

BoxinSkyAs you can tell by my posts, I’m always on the hunt for bold new products that are not only health conscious and eco-conscious, but those that are also ethically conscious.  Be it a snack, a non-toxic cleaner, or a household ware, there is a certain rush to be had by finding something that suits your family’s needs and the earth’s needs and the society’s needs.

Conscious Box has simplified our search for these eco-gems!  For $19.95 a month you can receive ten to twenty sample sized products to your doorstep – all natural, all ethical.  There are also both vegan and gluten free options.  You also receive monthly points with your subscription which can be applied to full-size purchases of the products you love, available directly from their site!

The company has thoroughly thought out their own effects on the environment – my ttpm6pxkskeptical mins led me to first wonder- what about the effects of shipping and packaging on the environment?  These thoughts did not escape Conscious Box either; they use 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard, recycled tissue paper, and vegetable-based inks for printing.  Their boxes are also streamlined to increase shipping efficiency.  In order to offset the remaining emissions, Conscious Box is a member of 1% for the Planet, an awesome organization which links companies with environmental nonprofits.

With innovative products from the likes of Core Foods, Eco-Me, Teatulia, and so many more that I’m excited to discover, this box is also a great one-time or recurring gift idea! eco-me-mia-hand-soaps_1
 I’m imagining it would be quite fun to receive the same box as a friend and compare notes on the products!  Also, if product rating is your thing, Conscious Box lets you speak your mind to the companies, big and small.

Conscious Box is seeking to spread the word about their great service – they’d love for you to try it.  They are generously offering our readers a 50% discount for any subscription, available in 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, and annual cycles.  Simply enter the code DISCOVERNATURAL at checkout.

WIN!

Taking their generosity a step further, Conscious Box is also giving one very lucky Takes a Village a  3 month subscription to their service! That’s $59.95 worth of natural and ethical products to your doorstep! Easy to enter below….

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to our winner Jo!

Posted in charity, Cleaning, Coupon Code, diet, Discount, Environmental, Food, Gift Giving, Gift Idea, Giveaway, Greener Living, Health, natural, Nontoxic, organic, Recycling, Skincare, Snacks, social awareness, Vegan, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Citizens Aren’t Powerless to Prevent Atrocities

by Emily Meehan Posted on December 18, 2012

I’ve known Adam Lanza too. (He isn’t my son.) He had a different name, but the same profile. We’ve all met these people. They live in every community. And it’s not too late to stop them.

They are too disabled to hold a job. Their disability doesn’t lie in their limbs, but in their minds. They live with their parents, or in a group home, have no friends, and no reason to leave the house.

This is not the picture of a happy life. Shunned by society, they have only their family, or hired caretakers, who may be very sick of them. Just think about how you feel after a week with your parents. Then multiply that by 1,040. That’s how many weeks Adam Lanza spent with his mother and almost nobody else, from what it sounds like.

The solution proposed by experts and amateurs alike: Adam Lanza, and Jared Loughner, and the other mass murderers were mentally ill. They needed help, from mental health professionals.

Adam Lanza did need help. As my brother said on the phone yesterday, “six-years-olds draw hearts and want attention. They have nothing to give but love. Anyone who would kill them…it’s sick.”

It’s heinous. And such indiscriminate violence must be borne out of great pain. When animals and humans are in a great deal of pain, their cognitive functioning is not optimal. High emotions block rational thinking. Targets are missed. Social cues are misread. They lash out or in, hurting others indiscriminately, or hurting themselves. A mental health professional can help a person identify this behavior. He or she can prescribe medication to improve functioning, teach coping skills, and refer the client to community resources and activities. But here’s what mental health professionals can’t do: they can’t reduce the pain.

The pain that comes from isolation and dysfunctional relationships with family members who many disabled people depend upon for survival will not go away through talk therapy alone. A mental health professional is not a friend. And being a mental patient is not a role that carries esteem. Humans need friends, esteem, and activities that offer a sense of achievement in order to stay healthy.

The Adam Lanzas and Jared Loughners of the world needed to be part of society in order for that pain to go away. They needed to have roles that prevented them from getting so sick. They needed to be welcomed somewhere, and to do something well. A mental health worker could have helped them find those things if society had provided them.

There are plenty of roles for disabled people: bagging groceries as a volunteer, discussing American presidents with old folks in an assisted living facility, walking the neighbors’ dogs, weeding gardens for a landscaper, playing chess at the corner store or park, participating in synagogue or church events, writing fan fiction for a thriving fan fiction community, or working with a group of Linux users to create a new Java-based widget platform.

When society obsesses over the need for mental healthcare for the Adam Lanzas of the world, it passes the buck. It undermines the importance of social acceptance for disabled people. It’s like a person with a messy house who throws a banana peel on the floor and screams, “I need more housecleaners!”

If we keep our houses cleaner, we won’t be dependent on housecleaners.

We can welcome disabled people and offer them small roles that get them out of the house or into a social milieu. When they apply for jobs at our businesses, we can give them small, manageable tasks once a week. When they apply to join our synagogues but can’t afford the membership fee, we can waive it. When they apply to join our quilting group, bowling team, or gardening club, we can accept them, even if they make us slightly uncomfortable. We can greet them with kindness and conversation when we encounter them in public or at their homes.

If having disabled people around frightens you, that’s understandable. Check with their family members, their doctors or therapists before inviting them into your world. We do that with employees for good reason. But don’t categorically reject them. Because that’s what has occurred in the case of Adam Lanza and Jared Loughner, and the result is atrocious.

We can cry out for more psychologists, more welfare spending on mental health services, do nothing ourselves, and accept the collateral damage. Or we can step up and be citizens. Those are the choices.

Emily Meehan is a writer and a children’s advocate who is producing a feature film she wrote after spending six months working with foster children living in a Northern California group home. Learn more about the film here.

 

Posted in Altruism, Behavior, Child Advocacy, Education, Family, Loss, Sharing, social awareness, Special Needs, Teaching Compassion, Theory, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hope for Kipingi Village-Charity spotlight

by Stephanie Posted on December 8, 2012

In my career as I flight attendant I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people.  I’ve met plenty of rockstars, celebrities and even politicians.  However, none of these people have impressed me more then the actual group of flight attendants I share the arguably friendly  skies with.  What most people don’t know is that many flight attendants are not just flight attendants.  There are plenty of lawyers, nurses and many humanitarians (amongst many other interesting careers) that have donned the uniform and wings. We are a very diverse bunch.

One of my favorite flight attendants to fly with is Michelle Campbell.  Michelle is famous at LAX for her outgoing personality and giving nature.  She is the type of person that lights up a room just by walking in it.  Her happy energy is contagious, but it’s not just her demeanor that makes her so special.

For many years Michelle has been involved in numerous charities and worked relentlessly to make the world a better place for children.  I’ve been privileged enough to know her for years and I’ve always admired the work she does.  I remember when we first met, listening to her talk about her work with such a passion that it demands your total attention and engagement.

She has always referred to the children she helps as “my kids” and she feels it’s her life purpose to give a voice to those children that don’t have one.  You see, Michelle knows a little bit about being a child without a voice and having no one to care for you.  She herself was a foster child for the first 3 years of her life and was passed between 4 different homes before she was adopted by her wonderful family.  The daughter of an avid traveler and special-ed teacher, it’s from her family that Michelle say’s she learned her sense of adventure (Dad) and compassion (Mom).

The Campbell household must have been a great place to grow up because it turns out that Michelle isn’t the only one in that family that has dedicated her life to helping others.  Michelle’s sister Genelle is the VP of the nonprofit group Dignity U Wear.  They provide clothing to families in need.  I guess altruism is a Campbell family trait.  So it’s really not surprising that Michelle would find a way to do good.

Throughout her career Michelle has used her travel benefits to do charity work all over the world.  She has traveled to many different countries such as; Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico, Haiti & Kenya and has worked with many different charities such as the Airline Ambassadors & Starlight foundation, but it’s her work at Project Humanity that led her to her biggest and most life altering mission.  Michelle joined the staff at Project Humanity as their Coordinator of the Bright Idea Campaign.  According to their website Project Humanity is an organization that, “Operates under the philosophy that action speaks louder than words, the organization employs a “micro-project” strategy whereby it identifies specific projects that can be completed in a very short period of time and then recruits skilled volunteers to complete the projects.”

While working on a project in Kenya, Michelle was taken to Kipingi village where she describes what she saw as “the most desperate and depressing situation in my life.  The kids were completely dead behind their eyes.  They were malnourished, had bloated bellies, torn clothing, no shoes, and most of them were suffering from worms and many other illnesses. The kids were so sad.”

Unprepared for the horrible state of Kipingi all Michelle could give at the time were soccer balls. She felt horrible and vowed that something had to be done for this poor, desperate community. Michelle has always had a special place in her heart for the people of Kenya.  It has been a life long dream of hers to help this country.  Kipingi is her calling and she left there vowing to return.   Michelle has been performing charitable acts for most of her life and has worked her way up to this latest and probably most challenging endeavor. She has decided to build a school there.

She says, “I want to give these kids a chance, give them some hope. The thing is, in the US, we take basic school supplies and education for granted.  In a place like Kipingi Village an ink pen or even a crayon is considered a major luxury. These kids are human beings too. They want to learn. They want to learn how to speak English, learn how to read, and maybe, just maybe, someday go to University.”  With an ardor that only Michelle can muster, she approached Project Humanity to ask for the green light to get started.  She got her wish and all systems are go!

The only thing stopping her now is funding (isn’t it always).  So this is where we come in.  I encourage you to take a look at Michelle’s website and donate some funds.  Here is an opportunity for a little money to go a really long way. It doesn’t take much, any little bit will help.  Michelle has done the math and all it will take is $15,000 to build this poor community and its children a school.  When you think about it, in the grand scheme of things, that’s really not much.

For those of you that live in the Los Angeles area, Michelle is having an event to help raise money for the project.  Join her at The Green Yogi in Manhattan Beach, CA on January 19th for a 2 hour yoga class and after party.  There will be a raffle, silent auction, food wine and live music.  Did I hear food, wine and live music all for a good cause?  I’m there!

For more information check out: hopeforkipingi.com

 

 

 

 

Posted in charity, Gratitude, non-profit, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Youth Wellness Network Showcase

by Michael Eisen Posted on October 2, 2012

At a young age I was influenced and encouraged to follow belief systems and paradigms that turned out to be limiting and self-destructive.  They came from many different sources including my parents, teachers, communities, and even society as a whole.  The older I got the more I realized that I was not alone – many of my peers had been taught very similar beliefs and as a result we all began living a life that we thought we should be living. It wasn’t until I had a breakdown at the age of 19 and was faced with some very challenging circumstances that I started to realize the life I had been living was not truly my own.  I had become a product of my conditioning and my surroundings and if I was going to survive, something had to change!

As I started to learn different strategies, tools, and new life philosophies I began to question many things.  What if instead of living my life the way others were or the way I had been taught I should live, how would things change if I was empowered to live the life I had always desired deep within?  I started to imagine what our world would look like if we all spread our wings and truly soared to our truest potential.

After spending many years learning to step into my own greatness and reclaiming my self-worth and self-esteem, I created the Youth Wellness Network so I could help inspire and empower youth all over the globe going through similar challenges that I faced. I thought to myself, if I can live a happy, healthy and positive life and still be considered successful by society’s standards, then others can too!

Today, my desire is to provide support, inspiration and resources for youth of all ages to become well-rounded individuals. When I was going through my transformation and breaking free from my own limiting belief systems, there was no accessible and relate-able resources I felt I could turn to that would support my process of finding and becoming my authentic self.  Luckily for me, my father went through a huge transformation a year prior to my breakdown and became my one source of encouragement and support.  But many others aren’t as privileged as I was.

Thus, the Youth Wellness Network is here to do just that; we provide youth, parents, educators and communities with the appropriate tools to assist them in the process of living healthier, more positive lives.  We create and implement wellness programs within schools, and organizations all over North America. We work together with administration and educators to provide the most relevant program that meets their school’s / organization’s needs and the needs of their youth.

Some of the main issues we address with our programs are stress, anxiety, bullying, self-esteem, uncertainty of self and future, and emotional/mental health.  Our goal is to help youth as well as adults understand the root of these pressing issues, so they can ultimately extinguish them instead of simply covering them up with a band aid solution.

Our hope is that once we teach and provide the tools, that the individuals will be able to create sustainable positive change in their own lives and the lives of those in their communities. We believe that by empowering our next generation to become confident, kind, and compassionate individuals who live with integrity and purpose, they will spark an even bigger change in our society creating a ripple effect of positive change all over the world!

In addition to working alongside youth, we also provide programs for parents, educators, and any adult who have youth in their lives.  We offer workshops for teachers to help reduce their stress and better manage their energy levels, while providing appropriate techniques to reduce the stress levels in their classrooms.  Our more extensive teacher training program is called Empowered Education, where we teach the teachers to infuse principles of empowerment instead of control into their educating process.  Educators will then become a source of genuine support for their students, and be able to establish a secure environment for each student to thrive.

Our programs for parents are based around creating a more balanced and harmonious relationship with their children and teenagers.  We emphasize on the importance of having conscious relationships surrounded by compassion and based on the principles of empowerment and understanding perspective.  We offer presentations and training to give parents the tools to gain a better understanding of what their children are going through and how to communicate and interact from a foundation of mutual respect and understanding.  As a part of our mission in educating parents, educators and anyone who works with youth, I have recently written a book, co-authored with my father Jeffrey Eisen. The book is entitled, Empowered YOUth: A Father and Son’s Journey to Conscious Living, which is published by Hay House and is now available anywhere books are sold.  This book provides a more in-depth perspective on how parents and children, adults and youth can come together and build a stronger, longer-lasting relationship based on understanding, mutual respect and empowerment. It serves as blueprint for bridging the gap between adults and youth in our society.

If we are all going to come together to empower the next generation we ALL need to live the most empowered version of ourselves first. The days of “do as I say, not as I do” are completely over.  If you are a parent, educator, or an adult who has children, teenagers, or young adults in your lives, you need to lead by example!  The first step to making long lasting positive change in this world is to start with YOURSELF!

Michael Eisen’s Bio:

Michael Eisen is an inspirational speaker, author and the founder of the Youth Wellness Network (YWN), an organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering youth across the globe to live happier and more positive lives. YWN specializes in creating and implementing wellness programs in schools and organizations, while providing additional programs and training online. After positively transforming his own life at the age of 19, Michael is now on a lifelong crusade to share with other young people the principles, strategies, and practices that gave him the strength to start living a more joyful and healthier life. He contributes a fresh, young, authentic voice to the field of wellness, and is rapidly becoming a youth-wellness expert. Michael’s first book, Empowered YOUth: A Father and Son’s Journey to Conscious Living, co-authored with his father Jeffrey Eisen and published by Hay House is now available for purchase online and everywhere books are sold. To learn more about Michael and the Youth Wellness Network, visit www.youthwellnessnetwork.ca.

Posted in Book Review, Community, Guest Author, non-profit, Parenting Advice, social awareness, Teaching Compassion | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Charity Spotlight: Bone Marrow Donation ~ give a little of yourself

by Julie Posted on January 15, 2012

 

If your child or some one else you loved was gravely ill, would you undergo a simple outpatient procedure and tolerate a few days of discomfort to possibly save their life?  I’m betting I know the answer.

I was recently forwarded a tragic article about parents facing this exact dilemma.  Their four year old, Kyle was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare disease which had already killed most of his blood cells.  We’re talking about a happy, active child ~ the only indication of his illness initially was the he bruised easily, and then when his mom and dad noticed blood on his lips, they brought him to be checked out.  My own daughter just turned four, and I can’t help but think about how devastating such news would be.

Normal Anatomy

There is a good chance that in order to survive, Kyle may need a bone marrow transplant.  Unfortunately no one in his family is a match and to further complicate things, he is mixed-race, half white and half Chinese.  While white patients have about a 90% chance of finding a matching donor, mixed-race patients have about half of those odds.  Again this hits close to home, as a white mom of ¼ Mexican daughters.  These statistics make me mad at science, but what can you do?

Here’s what.  You can increase Kyle’s and every patient’s chances of receiving a life-saving bone marrow or cord blood transplant by completing a simple registration through the National Marrow Donor Program’s Be the Match Foundation website.  If you meet the very basic criteria, registration can be completed in a matter of minutes online, followed by a cheek swab you’ll receive in the mail and return via pre-paid postage.

Once you register, your information remains in the database until your 61st birthday, unless you remove it.  If you are a match, you are only asked to consider donating.  You are not obligated, so if your situation or mind changes, you can opt out.  How easy is that?

And possibly the best argument (other than saving a life!) is that the procedure is outpatient, leaving the donor with only a short term of minor discomfort.  What are a few aches and pains compared to a lifetime for some one else?

The odds of being chosen are minuscule, approximately one out of ever 540 U.S. donors will be a match, according to the National Marrow Donor Program.  Isn’t it worth a shot?  Although minority and mixed race donors are at a higher demand, there is a chance that any of us could prolong a life.

As I type this, I hold my tissue-typing kit in my hand.  Ok, there…..a minute and half later I am done.  That included opening the envelope, reading instructions, swabbing my inner cheek with 4 separate swabs and sealing the kit into a ready-to-mail envelope.

Tahdah!  That’s all it took.  Now there is a small chance that I might have the honor of helping a fellow human being with the misfortune of suffering from blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and other life-threatening diseases.

If age/health restrictions, or any other reason is holding you back from registering, there are other ways you can help the program.  You can make a financial contribution, purchase from Be the Match’s online shop, or get in shape while helping others by participating in the Be the One Run in select U.S. cities.  They also need volunteers to work the events.

Registering was a no-brainer for me and many others.  I hope you’ll feel the same.

Takes a Village wishes Kyle and all others in his situation a speedy and solid recovery.

Medical diagrams gratefully sourced from Medline Plus. Visit  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003009.htm for more images and information on the bone marrow transplant process.
Posted in Altruism, Bone Marrow Transplants, charity, Health, non-profit, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Right on the Money: Chores vs. Allowance

by Julie Posted on January 5, 2012

It’s pretty easy to let time slip by without acknowledging your children’s capabilities.  Not that we don’t praise them for every little thing; I’m talking about realizing that a kid can physically do more to help around the house.

We get into a routine of doing everything for the wee ones, and sometimes overlook that they can do more in addition to it being good for them.  Giving a child chores not only makes them feel that they are an capable and important member of the family, but it also teaches them independence and life skills.  Starting at a young age with small tasks instills self-worth and gets them in the habit of pitching in.

My girls are six and almost four.  I’ve found that being very specific is a big help in getting things done.  Rather than just “clean your room”, saying -for example- “Please put all your dolls on your bed and your dirty clothes in the hamper” proves to be much more effective.  Both girls are getting into the rhythm and know what is expected of them on a daily basis and now are doing helpful things like clearing their plates to the kitchen and cleaning up one play area before starting something new! This makes for a neater house and a much less stressed and happy Mom!

At the same time, my growing girls are interested in all kinds of stuff that for better or worse, entails buying it.  Like it or not, pretty early on, the “I want this, I want that” phase kicks in.  Unfortunately this tends to be one of the longer phases of childhood, lasting a lifetime for many! One way I’ve found that positively approaches the “I wants” is by instilling the values of saving upon my girls. Although my little one is still a bit too young, my eldest is starting to grasp the concept of money.

For a while I’ve been contemplating how to incorporate an allowance into my household. How do you differentiate between pulling your weight in the family and teaching the concept of earning some cash for a job well done? She received some monetary holiday gifts and opted to buy a couple of things and save the rest for a rainy day.  We even opened a kids’ bank account with online access so she can see how savings grow! Since growth is often slow, you can opt to make matching contributions from time to time for good merits, holidays and birthdays. Don’t be afraid to let your relatives know about your your little savers either!

I asked our resident experts for their two cents (pun fully intended).

Here are Merriam’s thoughts, “At my house, I wrote detailed instructions on how I want specific chores done, made cards that I colored with stickers, and laminated each card and put it on the fridge (makes it more appealing).  We have a chart that delineates which kid does which chore on a given weekend, and since the instructions are written out, they can’t pretend they don’t know how to do it.  They get an allowance if they complete their chores and the amount of chores and money is based on their age. 10% goes to savings and 5% to charity.  They don’t get the actual cash, but instead the amounts are tracked on a chart on the fridge.  I figure that although no one pays me to clean around the house, it isn’t unreasonable to expect to be paid for work.  However, since I have to pay for expenses, so do they.  If they want to buy anything (outside of school clothes) – including movies, ice cream, toys – it comes out of the non-savings part of their allowance.  So I get help with the house and they get to learn how to earn and spend their own money.  Note that my kids are 9, 11, and 14 and I don’t think this would work with younger kids, nor do I think younger kids need an allowance!”

I am in awe of Merriam’s organizational skills and while I know that  personally I’m far less orderly, I will definitely be drawing from these great ideas in the future, particularly the mandatory percentages donated and saved.  Presently, I’m allowing my girls to spend their earnings when they choose and with my guidance.  I’ve stressed the importance of altruism on other levels.  When they tire of a toy they tell me that they’d like to give it to a kid whose parents don’t have money for toys, so I can proudly say it’s sinking in.  As for the minimum age for starting an allowance, I think it’s case by case; my eldest is really embracing and learning from the experience.

Melissa’s response reinforced my ideas;  “I think that there is a difference been household expectations(clothes in laundry, dishes in sink, clean up your room, etc.) and paid chores. Paid chores are not daily expectations. Chores can look different for different age groups. They can vary from collecting and taking out the trash to helping unload silverware from dishwasher and sort it.”

This is exactly how I’ve been handling it!  Our “extras” for pay have included doing laundry ~ the six year old can do a load from start to finish and the three year old is extremely helpful too.  Added bonus ~ we have a blast at the laundromat together!  Other earners include sweeping and Swiffering kitchen floor (actually voluntarily) and dusting furniture.

A wise friend told me that she had introduced her middle school son  to collecting recycling and bringing it to a center in exchange for cash.  What an amazing idea!  Helping the planet while earning!  My six year old is so excited that we’re taking her first collection to our local recycling center tomorrow and so am I.

I feel that I’m instilling valuable life long lessons in my girls.  I’m hoping interest doesn’t wane, but also don’t want money to be too primary a focus.  That’s why I consistently remind them that the best things in life are still for free.

 

Posted in Alowance, Altruism, charity, Commitment, Parenting Advice, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Love Makes a Village

by Stephanie Posted on December 12, 2011

I’m sure by now many of you have seen the viral video: “Two Lesbians Raised A Baby And This Is What They Got”.  It features a young man named Zach Wahls speaking at a forum to oppose a House Joint Resolution that would ban gay marriage and civil unions.  If you haven’t already seen it –  you can watch the video.

Zach has teamed up with the folks at MoveOn.org.   Together they came up with a great idea: get as many people as possible to take family holiday photos holding signs that say ‘Love Makes a Family,’ and ‘Equality for ALL Families in 2012′.

I just love this idea and so does everyone here at takesavillage.net.  I’m so inspired that I had to share it with the rest of you.  Will you please join me and my family in making such a beautiful statement?

Let’s face it folks, our village will never be complete until we have included EVERYONE.

To show your support, please visit Love Makes a Family and upload your portrait! Printable signs are also available.

Posted in Altruism, Family, Holidays, Memories, Villagers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Non-Profit Spotlight: Join My Village ~ Give for Free

by Julie Posted on December 1, 2011

The main intention of starting this blog is to find and share ways of helping others; be it through advice, unity, support, or varied forms of altruism.  This is where our monthly non-profit/ charity spotlight comes in to play.

I love this organization (and not just for its name).  Join My Village is a “click to connect social change initiative”.  This means that all you have to do is click a button to incite a donation from a corporation (currently Merck and General Mills) to their cause; helping to build educational opportunities for the impoverished woman and girls of Malawi.

You can also initiate donations by liking Join My Village on  Facebook ~ so simple!  By joining their site you’ll receive updates on how you can help motivate donations and all monetary donations are matched 100% by the contributors!  Join My Village is powered by CARE, a powerful non-profit which generates donations and support for a myriad of amazing causes.

At a time when the world’s economy is grim, it is difficult to help others out of our own pockets.  This style of giving is the perfect solution; let the big capitalist players donate on your behalf!

Posted in Altruism, charity, non-profit | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment