Give a Day of Volunteering, Get a F*ree Pass to a Disney Theme Park

Posted on January 27, 2010 by The Mom Entrepreneur

Disney wants to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service to a participating organization in their community. In exchange, they are celebrating these volunteer’s good deeds by giving each of them a 1-day, 1-theme park ticket to the Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort; free.

You must pre-register and sign up through their site to volunteer and complete your service at an eligible volunteer opportunity in the fifty United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or Canada to receive a ticket after verification of such service. You can search for volunteer opportunities in and around your community, including New Hampshire, by simply entering your zip code.

Ticket quantities for this program are limited. You must be at least 18 to sign up. You may only sign up a maximum of 8 members of your household. Children must be at least 6 to participate in the program. One ticket per person, regardless of the number of times you volunteer.

Program begins January 1, 2010 and continues until tickets are distributed or until December 15, 2010, whichever occurs first. Your voucher for a free ticket must be redeemed by December 15, 2010, and used on the same day of redemption.

To learn all about this opportunity and to register visit their Give A Day, Get A Disney Day WEBSITE.

Filed under: Community Service, Community Service Reward Programs, Organizations needing assistance, Teaching kids about charities, Volunteer assistance programs | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Local Charities Benefit From NH Kids Consignment Sale

Posted on January 13, 2010 by The Mom Entrepreneur

Overwhelmed with kids clothes and toys in their homes, two local moms, Judy Cameron and Lisa Mullen, created NH Kids Consignment. This seasonal sales event is held twice a year, and enables families to recycle their gently used kid’s items to others in the local community.

The first event, which was held in September 2009, featured thousands of quality baby and kid’s items for sale at a fraction of the retail cost. Shoppers snapped up incredible bargains on brand name clothing, gear and toys. At the same time, consignors cleared out their clutter and made money on items they no longer needed.

Local charities also benefit from NH Kids Consignment Sales. Consignors may opt to donate some or all of their unsold items. Donations from the fall 2009 sale went to Neighbors Helping Newborns, Care Net Pregnancy Center, Kids Closet, New Horizons, Goodwill and Families in Transition.

The next NH Kids Consignment Sale is March 20-21 at McKelvie Intermediate School in Bedford, NH. For information on becoming a consignor and shopping at the sale, please visit www.nhkidsconsignment.com.

Filed under: Benefits, Consignment Sales | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Remember to give year-round to your local food pantry, not just during the holidays

Posted on January 7, 2010 by The Mom Entrepreneur

Over the past few months, we have been regular visitors to our local food pantry. Not to get food, but to drop off several boxes of donations.

When my husband stopped by this evening to drop off our latest donation, they recognized him instantly and greeted him with a big smile.

Here are some important facts that you should know about your local food pantry:

  1. Their need is year-round, not just during the holidays. The people who use this valuable service have to eat everyday, and so it is important to give just as much during non holidays as it is during holidays.
  2. Don’t let the name Food Pantry mislead you, they need non-food donations just as much as they need non-perishable food donations.

Our family donates a box usually every other Thursday to our food pantry. I shop regularly at Walgreens for the food pantry because they run great promotions on food and non-food related items that are perfect to donate.

I monitor their weekly sales flyers and match their promotions with my coupons. Savvy bargain shoppers can usually purchase products at 60 – 80% off Walgreen’s prices. They also offer Register Rewards on many of their products, which are a form of gift certificate for future purchases.

Right before Christmas, Walgreens in my area offered about $50 worth of products, that were perfect for donating to a food pantry, for free! I purchased shampoo, shaving cream, contact lens solution, deodorant and more and then received the same amount back in Register Rewards. As long as you redeem these rewards before their due date, you have gotten the products for free.

Walgreens makes it easy to donate many useful items regularly to my local food pantry without having to spend much money. It only involves an investment of my time to monitor sales flyers and collect coupons. An investment I am more than willing to make to help my community.

What additional creative ideas do you suggest for supporting your local food pantry year-round?

Filed under: Community Service, How to help your local food pantry, Organizations needing assistance | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Holiday stress starting to build up?

Posted on December 2, 2009 by The Mom Entrepreneur

On Sunday, December 6th, relax at the Holiday Vibrations Sound Healing concert to benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank.  This concert will demonstrate sound therapy and healing techniques including crystal bowls, didgeridoos, flutes, drums, and gongs.  Featured artists include Joseph Carringer, Bindy Johnson, Richard Gandiva Lorcan, and Michael Longrider. 

After each concert, the performing artists will offer individual mini-sessions to those who need a little bit of extra relief from the hectic holidays.  There will also be a raffle to benefit the Food Bank.

There will be two concerts, the first at noon and the second at 4pm, and both will take place at the Holiday Inn located at 9 Northeastern Boulevard in Nashua, NH.  Tickets are $30 each, and all proceeds benefit the Food Bank.  To purchase tickets, or if you have questions, call the Crystal Jade Shop located at 151 Main Street in Salem, NH, at (603) 912-5633 or (603) 321-4818. 

You can also purchase tickets online at www.crystaljadeshop.com.

Filed under: How to help your local food pantry, NH assistance programs | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

New Hampshire Women Join Global Sisterhood in the Fight Against Climate Change

Posted on December 1, 2009 by The Mom Entrepreneur

(L to R) Oxfam Sisters on the Planet Ambassadors: Elizabeth Becker, NH Senate Majority Leader - Maggie Hassan, NH House Speaker - Terie Norelli, NH Senate President Pro Temp - Martha Fuller Clark, NH Senate President - Sylvia Larsen, and Eva Christensen

Prominent women from across New Hampshire will serve as “Ambassadors” for the Sisters on the Planet Campaign, announced international humanitarian organization Oxfam America today during a leadership breakfast in Concord.  The Sisters on the Planet Campaign is a national effort to highlight the disproportionate effect that global climate change has on women throughout the world.  As Ambassadors, these women will advocate for strong legislative action to address global climate change and highlight how women are particularly affected by global warming impacts.

Senate President, Sylvia Larsen, a new Ambassador for Sisters on the Planet said, “As we carry the next generation, women are naturally the world’s caretakers both literally and figuratively.  It makes sense, then, that through our sisters on the planet we will gather and empower a state, national and global community of women who will work together to bring focus to the problem of global climate change and its effect on hunger, drought, disease, poverty and life as we know it on this earth for generations to come.  Already, it’s been perilously ignored.  I look forward to being part of the solution along with my sisters all over the globe.”

The adverse effects of climate change increasingly impact the world’s poorest communities due to their dependence on natural resources.  Women, who constitute 70 percent of those living below the poverty line worldwide, undeniably bear the largest burden when disaster strikes. Along with taking care of their children and home, women are typically responsible for providing clean water, food, and fuel — the jobs most affected by changes in the weather — for their families and communities.  Because of the gender inequalities that exist in most parts of the developing world, women must find these solutions without the education, opportunities, and resources available to men. 

“Without thoughtful, inclusive, and aggressive planning now, low-income women around the world will be ill-equipped to adapt to climate change and its impact on their families”, said New Hampshire’s Speaker of the House, Terie Norelli.  “Sisters on the Planet appeals to me because it understands and amplifies women as agents of change – both locally and globally.”

Oxfam’s work around the world has shown that adaptation and mitigation methods can prove invaluable to communities dealing with the harsh effects of global warming.  Oxfam has employed a variety of highly effective techniques all over the world to protect and improve the lives of those vulnerable to the changing climate, including drought-resistant seeds and food banks in times of shortage, coastal tree barriers and raised homes during floods, and mosquito nets and health surveillance to prevent the spread of climate-related disease.

“We know how important it is to have women’s voices at the decision-making table”, said Senate Majority Leader, Maggie Hassan.  “Sisters on the Planet represents a vital opportunity to ensure that decision makers around the world understand the human impact of global warming.”

Sisters on the Planet Ambassadors will advocate for legislation that provides women with the financial assistance and education that they need to design and implement these and other proven methods in their own communities.

New Hampshire Sisters on the Planet Ambassadors include:

  • Eva Christensen, Founder, Earthtenders
  • Martha Fuller Clark (NH-24), New Hampshire State Senator
  • Maggie Hassan (NH-23), Majority Leader, New Hampshire State Senate
  • Sylvia Larsen (NH-15), President of the New Hampshire State Senate
  • Terie Norelli (NH-16), Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice. Visit www.oxfamamerica.org/sisters and www.oxfamamerica.org/climate to learn more about Oxfam America and their Sisters on the Planet Climate Change initiatives.

Filed under: Community Service, NH assistance programs | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »