Today is Giving Tuesday!!! It has been some year and to be honest with you … there have been many days that my heart has been broken. Watching all of the pain and destruction of the Hurricanes and Fires…the useless killings and the extreme pain throughout the world, has caused many sleepless nights. I am sure you have had these feelings and emotions. To be honest with you … many many days I have felt tremendous guilt because I have a roof over my families head and food on the table … do you understand that feeling? Have you felt that? I am having problems putting it all in perspective! This year has presented many health challenges for me personally … I had emergency stomach surgery …emergency procedures on my heart and more but I feel lucky and thankful every day. All I know is that I had to find some way of dealing with all of these feelings.
So we have done a lot of reflection about everything and have started to do more things that giveback. My family started Down The Rabbit Hole on the Blog where we donate a base $25 to an Animal Charity each week plus we donate and additional $1 for each comment left. We also have a small Giveaway each week that supports Animal Rescue…a thank you to our readers but also benefits the Animals. We could have done this without the blog…but through the blog so many other people are finding out about so many wonderful small Animal Rescues and Shelters that they would never have known about. Because of that these Rescues are getting more donations and awareness and that is a good thing. We have also adopted our own Shelter where we donate all kinds of food and supplies each month. Plus we make a Christmas for them including a warm homemade meal for all the pups and special treats for the kitties! We have also become monthly contributors of an array of Shelters…Disabled Vets and St. Jude’s. A big thing we have learned is that there are many things that we simply don’t need. Even though donations don’t make all the suffering go away…they still make a difference in an animals life…a child’s life and a persons life. I still have many deep seeded emotions about all of it…but this is a start for my family and myself.
The reason I am sharing this with you today is that today is Giving Tuesday…(#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. One of the best ways to get involved is in your own community. You can find so much more about Giving Tuesday right here. Giving Tuesday gives us pause during this Holiday Season to Give Back because there are so many in need. No matter what your favorite charity is…they will be happy when you remember them. Giving back comes in so many different ways…check out some of our thoughts below and PLEASE if you have others … put them in the comments and we will add them to the list.
There are so many bloggers and people I know that give back in so many incredible ways but I just wanted to share on in particular with you that just warmed my heart. I just love what she is doing and how she is doing it. Her name is Ashley from Sugar & Cloth. She has an amazing blog filled with color…fun… home decor… recipes and so much more. Her…her husband …kitty and there is a little one on the way have woven charity into their life and business and it is a perfect blend. Not only do they donate…they had a Craft Party where everyone made beds for the Animal Shelter…they Sponsor Special Events and much much more. Drop by and check out her 5% solution on her blog…I think you will be inspired while having your heart warmed. I don’t know Ashley…I am just a reader that truly appreciates all that they do!
Do you have a story you would like to share or some ideas for us all? If so…please leave us a comment and we will include it into the post as they grow.
If you are looking for more ideas…drop by the Giving Tuesday Site (tons of ideas there)
Do you know about the Smile Program over at Amazon? It’s pretty amazing…for every purchase you make…they donate 0.5% of every purchase you make to the Charity of your choice. All you have to do is sign up right here (https://org.amazon.com/) I know it is a small percentage but to date they have donated over $62 MILLION dollars to charity and that is AWESOME in my book. It does add up…really! Check it out…it’s free and every purchase you were going to make any way counts!
Check out We Dine Together.org… when I saw this on TV…it made me cry but it made me very happy to think that kids cared that much to start this incredible program. There are over 100 of them throughout the country but I think there should be one in EVERY SCHOOL…so please check it out and see how your child can help start one. This program consists of a group of great kids that make sure that no one eats alone at school…it’s amazing!
A Few Ways to Give Back!
Help a friend or family member in need
Cook a hot meal for a sick friend…a person that can’t get out of the house or anyone that you know that would love one and need one : )
Organize a Food Drive at your Child’s School
Organize a Pet Food Drive at your Child’s School (it works and it is amazing!)
Volunteer at a Hospital
Volunteer at a Nursing Home
Volunteer at The Animal Shelter
Volunteer at a Nursing Home
Volunteer to tutor someone in need
Volunteer at a Child’s Hospital
Just VOLUNTEER it’s the BEST!
Organize a Craft Show where everyone donates a percentage of their sales
Have a Bake Sale on your Neighborhood Street/Block
Have a craft party and make things for children…senior citizens… animals…
Help fix and serve meals at a Shelter (not just on a holiday)
Surprise someone that you know that is having a hard time right now…maybe by taking them out to lunch…sending them a card…having a long chat over coffee.
Have a Yard Sale and even better…organize a block Yard Sale… get everyone involved and then come up with a few of everyone’s favorite charities to donate to.
Send cards to our Veterans…here and abroad
Donate Blood
Donate Bone Marrow
Mentor
Assist Seniors in Need
Join Habitat for Humanity
Adopt a Wild Animal through The World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Purchase gifts that give back (there are so many companies like Toms…Feed … Bomba’s Socks… Petco…Souls 4 Shoes …Nike Reuse a Shoe… that donate to charity) there are so many that do this…check it out… it’s the gift that keeps on giving. I usually check to see if what I am looking for is carried by someone that donates to charity…just google it : )
Purchase Foods like Chocolate…Coffee and more that support Free Trade
Purchase Make-up that are Vegan and Cruelty Free check out to see if your make-up in on Peta’s List of approved ones. This is an amazing way to help animals.
Spend time with you pain and train them to become a Therapy Dog
Become an Organ Donor
Adopt a Family for the Holidays and make it a BRIGHT one!
Go through those closets and donate coats…clothes and more.
Purge and donate to Good Will…Salvation Army and more
Donate a Suit to Dress for Success
Donate Books and DVD’s to the Public Library
Donate a Book to a school in need
Donate to the Food Pantry
Toys for Tots
Become a Big Brother or Sister
Volunteer at your Church… Temple or Mosque in a program that they organize to give back
Volunteer at your Community Center…
and the list goes on and on an on…hope you help us build it up!
Come on an celebrate GIVING TUESDAY and make it last all year long : )
Here is a list of some of our FAVORITE Animal Rescues:
The Hempstead Town Animal Shelter
Dachshund Rescue of South Florida
Dachshund Rescue of North America
Dachshund Rescue of Los Angeles
The Alan Purcell Wayne Animal Shelter of Wayne, NJ
100 Doghouses for 100 Dogs (IFAW)
St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center
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