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Dealing with Decorations | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach

The presents have all been opened, the carols all sung, and now it's time to wade through the wrapping paper in the living room and tote the decorations up to the attic as the holidays wind down and 2010 comes to an end.

It's always so much fun to "unpack" everything, remembering what you have to spruce up your living space and floating around dispersing items as you hum your favorite tunes.

But what about putting everything up?

First comes deciding what you need to pack up for next year and what needs to be sent packing.

When you feel you've done your job completing the centerpiece or finished off the mantel, do you take note of items you've chosen not to use?

We all have them, miscellaneous old items. The decorations that once were used but now occupy the bottom of the bin year round.

Why is it so hard to get rid of something you no longer use? And what do you do with them?

First of all, the difficulty of letting go is rooted in so many complicated ways, in this case it is most likely either

• you feel you spent hard earned money on the item, how could you throw it away?
• you have a flash of all the memories tied into the item and aren't ready to forget them.

So, what can you do with them once you're ready to let go?

• donate them to a shelter or a food bank
• trade with a neighbor
• allow your kids to use them for decorating their rooms or classrooms
• bring them with you to volunteer meetings
• ask the high school drama department if they would like them

Finally, now that the holidays come to an end, put everything away with a strategy:

• try packing decorations in bins based on the rooms in your home
• pack holiday specific platters with the decor
• take pictures of kids holding their "crafty decoration" before recycling
• use bins that seal completely to keep critters out the remainder of the year
• store bins in hard to reach places, since you'll only be using the items once a year

A semi-known fact about me? Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. When I begin decorating I love pulling out my Turkey Platter and displaying the many decorations that will be enjoyed by my guests.

When I put it all away and prepare for the December holidays {my least favorite} I tend to make notes to myself of items I'd like to add to my collection this year. I also schedule a reminder to myself {in my Google calendar for next November} on where I've tucked that fragile hand-made turkey my son made when he was three years old so I don't forget.

Dealing with your decorations can be a complicated thing, I hope this helps you find new ways to simplify your process.

Keepin' it Tidy,

April

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April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect

Only Two More Days for 2010 Charity Donations

Make sure to donate now for your 2010 tax return!

Giving to charity is fantasitc in and of itself; you're helping to create a real difference for the organizations that you decide to support and you get a boost in self esteem as well. But this year, make sure not to miss out on the pleasant side effect of your charitable spirit, tax deductions.

Charitable donations are tax deductible and now is the time to donate to your favorite charities if you haven't already. If you donate before the end of the year, it's possible to reduce the amount you pay in taxes for 2010.

As with all tax related business, there are an obscene amount of rules. They govern what type of organizations that you can give to, how much you can give, and what type of documentation you have to have in order qualify for deductions. It can seem daunting, but don't let that stop you from receiving a bit of money back for your good deeds this year.

Here are some basic tips to know before you donate:

• Make sure to donate money or property, a promise to donate isn't deductible
  
  • Property donations get a little tricky, you have to know the value of everything you donate and have a receipt from the charity for all of the items
• Be able to itemize your charitable donations, know each donation that you've made
• You must have written acknowledgement for cars as donations
• Your donations must go to qualified tax-exempt organizations
  • These include churches, religious organizations and groups that have received their 501 (c)(3) tax exempt status
• Your tax deduction may be limited, look up specific requirements to see how this may affect the amount of money you get back
  
• Always keep record of all your charitable donations

 Send 2010 off right, donate to your favorite causes (and make sure to keep the receipt)!

 

 

 

VolunteerSpotlight: Kate M. Burggraff, Volunteer Coordinator & Food Shelf Manager, STEP

 

Minnesota's St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP) has evolved into a community-wide resource serving the basic needs of more than 1,600 people each month.  STEP is more than just a food shelf; it provides a full-service resource for people in need and helps people by providing advocacy, referrals, and going the extra mile to serve those who are most vulnerable in our community. 

Today, our spotlight shines on Kate M. Burggraff, Volunteer Coordinator and Food Shelf Manager for STEP.

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Please tell us about yourself and your current role at STEP.

I am a full time paid staff person at STEP. I spend 30 hours per week as volunteer coordinator and 10 hours as food coordinator. As the Volunteer Coordinator, I work with volunteer groups and individuals, supporting their efforts here at STEP. This includes volunteer screening, training, scheduling, and general support. As Food Manager, I make sure there is food on the shelf for families in need. STEP serves the area of St. Louis Park in Minnesota, providing 850 families with food. We also hold seasonal programs for back to school, Thanksgiving, and other special times of the year.

How did you get started in this role?

When I graduated from college, I took a position at AmeriCorps VISTA (the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty) for two years, and worked at an after school volunteer mentoring program. I also had some experience working with a food pantry. I loved working with a wide variety of people in these roles, and wanted to continue along this path. This role is very meaningful to my community and can be transformational to people who volunteer as they learn about their community.

Tell us aboutSTEP and your specific volunteer needs.

STEP is open Monday through Friday, so we need volunteers to help out during operating hours, and  behind the scenes. Our volunteers stock the food shelves, help families shop, and check them out when they are done. Our volunteers also work in our clothes closet. They sort the donated clothing, hang it up, and help families shop. The volunteer at the front desk answers the phone, greets people as they come through the door, answers questions, and schedules appointments. We have volunteers behind the scenes, doing data entry and supporting ongoing functions of the office. Our goal is to engage volunteers of all ages, and from all walks of life, so we try and offer a variety of scheduling options for volunteers to work.

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

VolunteerSpot has been invaluable to us. First, it takes much of the scheduling work off of my plate. Instead of emailing me, volunteers simply follow the link to VolunteerSpot and can sign up on their own. It has streamlined the process, especially as our email list grows. VolunteerSpot allows us to be very clear about our needs, by allowing volunteers to see exactly what we need, and when.  We want this to be a reciprocal relationship and helpful to our volunteers; we want them to have meaningful work. When they can see the entire schedule on VolunteerSpot, they can choose what interests them, and what fits into their schedule. Even though 30 people might want to volunteer on a certain day, they can see that we don’t have enough for them to do, so this shows them exactly what our needs are. We appreciate their interest but there are limits.

What's one piece of advice you have for other volunteer organizers out there?

People who are leading volunteers are in an exciting place. They have a lot on their plate, and what’s been most valuable for me is to network with other volunteer leaders. Making connections with other volunteer organizers in my community helps me find better ways to be organized and thoughtful for our volunteer programs. Here in Minnesota, we have a group called The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA). This group gives me a place to share ideas and network, so that I can provide the best support for volunteers at STEP.

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about volunteering?

I appreciate that VolunteerSpot provides various levels of services for organizations. Smaller groups can use it for free, and those who need more resources, and/or have more resources, can utilize the more advanced features. Thanks for making my job that much easier!

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For more information about STEP, please visit www.STEPslp.org, or www.facebook.com/STEPslp

We salute Kate and all the volunteer coordinators out there, making a difference in your community. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

Four Reasons to Volunteer with Your Kids

by Andrea Patten

Learning to help others is an important life skill that, if mastered early, will serve your children well as adults. 

Teaching your kids to help others strengthens them in lots of ways. 

• Making time for what matters.  None of us can be all things to all people and few of us have the time to contribute to everything we care about. We need to prioritize. Sometimes projects need volunteers at inconvenient times – help you kids ‘think through’ matching their time management with their priorities.

• Building volitional muscles.  Volition is the ability to make choices. Deciding where to donate or when to volunteer offers your children important practice in budgeting their time, their money and their compassion. People who feel that what they do makes a difference are also a lot less likely to feel like victims!

• Highly successful people contribute to their communities. Take a look at the biographies of some successful adults; so many at the top levels of their professions have gotten there by taking the “Go-Giver” approach, consistently looking to add value to any interaction. Building that habit early helps make it second nature.

• It’s good karma!  All spiritual practices include some variation on the theme ‘whatever we give comes back to us.’ Sometimes we’re told it will returns to us in an ‘afterlife’ — often in quantities far greater than what we have given. Whether or not you share that belief, there’s no denying that making a contribution of time, treasure or thought that improves another’s life can make us “feel good” — here and now.

Read all of Andrea's Tips for Non-Profit Boards and Directors.

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Andrea Patten is an author, trainer and former NFP director. What Kids Need to Succeed: Four Foundations of Adult Achievement provides parents with useful insights from high-achieving adults. (Hint:  one of the Four Foundations is ‘giving.’) An advocate for children and families she currently volunteers as an Area Coordinator for the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance. Connect with Andrea via her success parenting blog, Twitter or Facebook! She’d love to hear from you.

Preparing for House Guests | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach

Since we moved into our dream home, almost 3 years ago, we have hosted enough house guests to qualify as a bed & breakfast! Each time I know someone will be staying with us I refer to my mental check list and determine what part of the routine needs attended to.

For those who don't often share their roof with others, this 'routine' may seem like a cryptic message that needs decoded. Not to worry! That's what I'm here for.

Many of us can recognize the obvious chores:

• freshly washed linens on the bed
• dust and vacuum the space they'll be sleeping in
• clean the bathroom facilities

But there are a few other things I do to ensure my guests feel at home:

• extra blankets in the closet, in case they get cold in the middle of the night
• lights next to the bed, in case they want to read before sleep
• travel-size toiletries in the bathroom, in case they forgot something

 However, I take a few extra precautions as well:

• check in on environmental allergies, we have indoor pets {cat & dog}
• inquire regarding food allergies, not just peanut but lactose too
• take a head count on families, making sure choking hazards are picked up for the tikes and stairs are cleared for the elderly

Finally, keeping track of the countdown:

• a week before everyone arrives I begin assigning tasks to family members for assistance, this teaches them, by example the prep work involved
• a few days before I get the shopping out of the way, both groceries and supplies {I'd hate to run out of something like toilet paper!}
• 24 hours before arrival we gather up any miscellaneous items laying around from our daily lives, guests tend to help you re-create any mess you'd like

Also, this time of year is infamous for what we in the organizing industry call "the door". You know, that one room where you shove everything when you run out of time? Be sure to embrace this survival technique! Better to have clutter shoved behind a closed door than a stressed out host/ess! I'll have more on how to dig back out of such situations coming in January, but for now ~ enjoy the season with your loved ones!

Keepin' it Tidy,

April

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April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect

Too Busy Repairing the World to Be Bored

Rabbi Will: There’s too much to do to be bored

by Rabbi Will Berkovitz from WeRepair.org

When Sarah was a freshman I told her I thought she was bored; that the towers of the university were too narrow for her. That was before she traveled to New Orleans to do Katrina relief; before the following spring when she organized her peers to work on the California/Mexico border; before she decided to join Teach For America, and before she organized a service trip – was it to Central America? – with her inner-city high school students. She is certainly not bored anymore. She tells me there is too much work to do.

According to Jewish tradition, “It is not for you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Our mystics believe every soul born into this world represents something new and unique.

We each have distinct gifts that we are called to direct toward repairing our world.

It is our job as Jews to discern where the intersection between the world’s great needs and our individual talents rest, and to dedicate and rededicate our lives to that work — be it the work of easing suffering, improving literacy or welcoming the stranger. Indeed, the mystics go on to say, it is precisely because this is not done that the world is yet to be redeemed. As if to drive the point home, a first century sage, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said, “If you happen to be planting a tree and someone says the Messiah has arrived, you should finish planting the tree and then go out to greet the Messiah.”

We are told, we will do and then we will hear. Often times it is not until we are working with the homeless that we begin to understand the social dynamics leading to homelessness. It isn’t until we have tutored in an inner-city school that we can even start to comprehend the challenges students face.

It is in the doing that we come to hear, and in the hearing that we come to understand; understand that while our work may never be complete, as Jews we are never allowed to sit quietly on the sidelines and ignore life’s biggest social challenges. Sure the Messiah may have arrived but she will have to wait because I am busy combating global warming — now pass me that shovel.

Judaism is a tradition that very much concerns itself with our actions in this world and not the next. How am I treating the person next to me? What am I doing to contribute right now? These values are not placed in the context of mere suggestions or good ideas; they are framed as commandments. And extraordinary things can be accomplished when one feels commanded. Our political or religious differences do not matter.

Even if we don’t fully understand the nuances of the topic, what is important is that we do…and then we will hear. And in the doing and the hearing we may begin to feel the command to serve the person in need before us and the image of the Divine that is reflected in their face.

“We are here to make a difference,” says Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. “To mend the fractures of the world, a day at a time, an act a time, for as long as it takes to make it a place of justice and compassion. Where the lonely are not alone, the poor are not without help; where the cry of the vulnerable is heeded and those who are wronged are heard. ‘Someone else’s physical needs are my spiritual obligation.’” And I promise you, you will be too busy to be bored.

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Rabbi Will Berkovitz is Vice President of Partnerships and Rabbi in Residence for Repair the World. An ordained rabbi from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, he is the former rabbi and executive director of Hillel at the University of Washington and Jconnect Seattle. Rabbi Will currently lives in Seattle with his wife Lelach, and their sons Nativ and Idan.

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This post originally appeared on the HandsOn Blog as a guest post from WeRepair.org. Visit the HandsOn Blog to find all sorts of information and relevant topics for people interested in making a difference and being the change they want to see in the world.

 

Winter Party Ideas | ZiggityZoom

By Kristin Fitch

Parents are always looking for fun, educational and easy crafts for winter or holiday parties for school, church or home. Here are a few winter themed crafts and activities you can do at a school party or do with your own kids at home over winter break.

Winter Marshmallow Igloo

Let your child make this great marshmallow igloo. It's fun, tasty and super cool for boys and girls!!! It's easy enough to do at home or at school with an entire class.

Make Your Own Ice Cream  in a Bag

A favorite winter activity we have done at home and in the classroom is making ice cream in a bag. It takes less than 1-2 minutes for each child  to make. Each child can make their own bag of ice cream to enjoy.

Snowman Snow-globe Craft

Check out these adorable snow-globes. They are super easy to make with jars or bottles, figures, glitter and glue.

Crayon Resist Snowflakes

Click the link to find a cool and easy art project for kids by Art teacher, Kathy Barbro. It looks great and it's a straight forward project.

Sock Snowman Craft for Kids

These sock snowmen are quick and easy to make. You just need socks, felt, and batting or another filler to make the snowman.

Snowflake Word Activity Scramble

Add a educational but fun activity to your child’s Winter party. Kids will enjoy seeing how many words they can make with the letters in S-n-o-w-f-la-k-e.

Winter Word Search Printable

Print this Word Search for kids and let them find all 12 of the hidden Winter words.  A great fun and educational printable.

Winter Foam Picture Frame Craft

Make these great foam picture frames for a class party.  Take photos of all of the kids a day or two ahead of time and let kids decorate a custom picture frame during the party.

Make your child’s Winter party memorable with a fun make and take craft and printable worksheet.  Happy Holidays to all!!

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Kristin Fitch is a parenting expert, author, educator and mom of three beautiful boys. She is also the CEO and  E ditor of Ziggity Zoom, LLC which hosts several crafting, parenting and activity sites including Mommie911.com, ZiggityZoom.com, and CuriousBaby.com, among others. Kristin writes articles and how-to videos for ZiggityZoom.com, as well as many other parenting related websites as she encourage parents to find ways to spark kids' imagination, creativity and to explore the world around  them.  Kristin can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Avoiding Volunteer Burnout

Moms Rebel Against Volunteering

Are we burning out our volunteers? This has been a hot topic in the national news, and one that VolunteerSpot’s founder, Karen Bantuveris, has been privileged to participate in.

Moms in this New York Times article chose to quit volunteering cold-turkey to regain their lives and quell burnout from school volunteering. YES… While we respect and honor their personal choices, we think we can help solve one pain point in the volunteer equation – before volunteers hit the burnout spot. Completely removing oneself from volunteering certainly isn’t the answer – our schools and our kids need us. Getting more parents to help and setting limits is!

 See our founder discussing how to “just say no” on CNN: 

 

 

 

5 Things you can personally do to avoid over volunteering:

1. Before you sign up – ASK – how much time will be involved, who will help you, what are the duties and due dates, etc.
2. Be realistic about your time – if you can’t make it, possibly you can help in another way.
3. Choose one committee job at the start of the year and stick to it. Nina Restieri, from MomAgenda, shares her strategy for balancing volunteer commitments for her four children’s schools: Buttoned UP Inc, Say no gracefully with rules.
4. Choose volunteer jobs that align with your interests, passions and skills. If you have a green thumb, help in the school garden. For the artistic type, choose the artroom, etc.
5. Re-evaluate mid-year. Schedules change as do work and home activities. Have an honest discussion with your room parents, teachers and PTA about what’s more realistic (and balanced) for you.

Of course use VolunteerSpot and suggest it to other busy volunteers, to ease the sign up process and get more moms in the door!

As a School Parent Group –
Ideas to help prevent school volunteer burnout

• Review the volunteer jobs and fundraisers – are they all necessary? Can any be eliminated or scaled back?
• Cast a wide net – ask more people to get involved, not just the usual suspects
  (TIP: VolunteerSpot makes it easy to ask parents to help and boosts parent participation rates!)
• Thank all volunteers for their efforts and contributions no matter how focused or elaborate  – we’re all doing the best we can and we’re all volunteers with very busy lives. It’s okay if banners are hand-painted instead of printed, if the school bazaar doesn’t run exactly as last year, if we simplify the spring carnival or offer one less service.

Celebrate your good fortune in having parents turn out to support your school. Especially during the hectic holiday time, remember how busy everyone is and focus on the positive!

Volunteer Spotlight: Kim Huttenlocher, Notre Dame Preparatory School, Pontiac, Michigan

The Notre Dame Athletic Boosters earns money for the school's athletic department. These funds are earned through concession and spirit wear sales, a golf outing, and other fund raisers throughout the year. Boosters also help with fields, equipment, salaries for coaches - just about everything athletic. Even more importantly, the Booster Club is responsible for organizing volunteers to work all athletic events, saving the school thousands of dollars that would have to be paid to staff these events if parents didn’t help out. 

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Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Kim Huttenlocher, VP for the NDP Athletic Booster Club. She's been using VolunteerSpot to coordinate parent volunteers for the many athletic events held at their school.

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What’s your role as volunteer leader?

I work as a volunteer at my daughters’ high school, Notre Dame Preparatory in Pontiac, Michigan.  My title is Vice President of the NDP Athletic Booster Club.  My job is to coordinate volunteers for the entire high school sports program.  This involves over 300 sporting events per year and thousands of volunteer hours.  Basically we run the concession stand for all home sports events, and sign parents up for jobs as varied as grilling sausage, moving the first down chains at football games, videotaping basketball games for coaches and setting the gates for ski races.

What other activities are you involved in as a volunteer leader?

I am one of those individuals who has a hard time saying “no”, which means I am involved in way more volunteer activities than I should be.  In addition to my work on the Booster Club, I also coached 7th and 8th grade volleyball for six years at my daughters’ middle school (Notre Dame Marist Academy) and help to coordinate the volleyball program for the school.  I am in my third year of coaching the JV tennis team at Notre Dame Prep, which just might be my favorite volunteer job of all.  I also serve on the board of the Notre Dame Choir Booster Club (arts and sports are both important!).  I have been on the board of directors for my town’s Historical Society for more than 20 years, and I serve as a Eucharistic Minister at my church.  I used to teach Sunday school, and was a Girl Scout leader for 5 years.  As you can tell, I just don’t know how to say NO!

How did you get interested in volunteering?

That’s a good question. I think I was just born that way! I guess I feel that those of us who are blessed enough to have the time and the ability to give to others should do so. It makes me feel like I’m contributing. I’ve also discovered that it’s the best way to meet people. I know most of my daughters’ friends because I coached them at some point or another. I meet parents, teachers, school administrators, and people from my community. Many of these people have turned out to be terrific friends. So it’s a win/win situation for me!

What’s one piece of advice you have for parent volunteers?

Don’t volunteer because you have to, volunteer because you want to! The happiest people I know are the ones who put in that extra hour even though they already met their “requirement” set by the school. These are the folks who are leading the way for their kids. The kids know when their parents are involved, and believe me, they love it (even if they roll their eyes in embarrassment!).

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

That’s an easy one! We needed a way that parents could easily access all the sports that need volunteers. Since we deal with several sports each season, before VolunteerSpot, parents would have to call several different people to try to track down a date they could work. With all that information online, parents have what they need with a click of the mouse. In addition, those of us in charge of monitoring all those service hours can have access to reports and can reach a large number of parents very easily.

Anything else you'd like readers to know?

I am lucky that my daughters go to a great school with hundreds of good families. A vast majority of our parents are more than willing to help out whenever we ask them to. People like that make volunteering fun! Plus, since Notre Dame Prep is a Catholic school that emphasizes character and service along with excellent academics, volunteering as a parent helps my kids to see that character and service don’t stop when you graduate and move on.

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We salute Kim and all the other volunteer leaders out there helping out at school.  If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].

Giving Clutter Free | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach


I have a confession to make.

It's a doozy, you might want to sit down.

December is my least favorite month and all the holidays in it are my least favorite holidays.

Now, it hasn't always been this way. It wasn't until I became an organizer and saw the results of 'over-gifting' that I began to dislike the commercialism surrounding this month.

Honestly, who could blame the buyer? Marketing campaigns have gotten so good that when they say we should want something, we begin to believe we want it!

So, as a natural born giver, how do you ensure you're not over-gifting?

1. Has the recipient expressed wanting the item?
2. Where will the item live in their space?
3. Is it in your budget?

I know these tips may seem simple but I'm surprised over the years just how often they are overlooked.

The beauty of these three tips is how universal they are. A parent could ask these of gift ideas for their child, an employee could ask these of their co-worker, a friend of their neighbor, a loved one of their aging relatives ~ the list goes on and on.

When you've hit that hurdle for the someone who has everything, or the someone you don't know that well, you can add a few other ideas:

• Think experiences like movie tickets or gift cards to a favorite store for the younger generation.
• Think hobbies like wine, golf or quilting for the enthusiast.
• Think perishables like homemade goodies, a cheese and sausage platter or a fruit delivery for neighbors ~ friends ~ loved ones and even co-workers.

The nice part about these gifts is they are used and disposed of. Easy-peasy!

I've written a more detailed "tip-style" article over at Tip Junkie earlier this week if you need more ideas. Or you can checkout my Kindle book from a few years back as a resource guide.

I do truly hope you and yours a wonderful holiday season {even if I am wishing for "bah-humbug" jammies this year}

Keepin' it Tidy,

April

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April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect

4 Fundraising Tips for Boosting End-of-Year Donations

With a few weeks left in 2010, nonprofits are hard at work with end-of-year fundraising activities. It's not too late to add a few simple, timely strategies for increasing donations. Nonprofit fundraising coach, consultant, and author, Sandy Rees, shares these four ideas to boost your year-end donations.

Renew lapsed donors. Make a list of people who gave significant gifts last year but not this year. Spend the time to make phone calls to these folks to thank them for their gifts and to update them on the organization's work. Gently remind them that they can still make a gift to help this year.

Encourage year-end giving. Create a simple post-card and send it the day after Christmas to everyone on the mailing list to remind them that year-end gifts must be received by December 31 in order to count for this year.  

Encourage online giving. Create and conduct a viral email campaign the last couple of days of the year. On December 29, send out an email to all Board members, volunteers, staff, and donors to thank them for their support of the organization and give them the link to the website. Remind them how important the organization is in changing lives of people in the community and ask them to forward the email on to any friends they think would also support your work (this is what makes it viral). If you do a good job with the email and your website, you’ll see a flurry of donations the last couple of days of the year.

Pitch stories after Christmas. The week between Christmas and New Year's is usually a slow news week. It's not too hard to get a story on TV or in the paper. Chose a story about someone your organization has helped and pitch it to the local media. You’ll likely make the 6:00 news or the front page of the paper.

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Sandy Rees is a nonprofit fundraising coach, consultant, trainer, and author. She shows small nonprofit organizations how to raise more money, gain more supporters, and strengthen their Boards. Want more practical tips and ideas for successful fundraising? Get her twice-monthly "Hot Ideas for Fundraising" e-newsletter on her website at GetFullyFunded.com and follow Sandy on Twitter.

 

Teaching Your Kids to “Walk the Talk”

By Andrea Patten

 

Learning to give to others is an important part of preparing your kids for life as ‘good grown-ups.’ I am convinced that both the desire and ability to find ways to give to others absolutely vital to achieving lasting success. 

Am I overstating? 

Giving to others creates a lot more “good” than first meets the eye. Sure, the book drive or the homeless shelter are better off because your family participated… but have you thought about the good that comes your way as a result of these actions?

Family giving creates connection

Do you have money or material that you would like to give to someone else?  Let your kids help figure out where your donation will do the most good. I guarantee a great dinnertime conversation if you talk to your kids about some of the service organizations in your area and ask them questions about a potential donation. Questions like these may introduce you to a thoughtful and generous side of your children:

Ÿ “Who do you think would benefit the most from the clothing you have outgrown?” 

Ÿ “Should we donate to a group that re-sells the items?  Or one that passes the them directly to families in need?” or

Ÿ “Can you think of anything else we should do?”

Volunteering together enhances empathy

When children help to give goods and services to people in need they get curious about people and their circumstances. They often try to imagine what it would feel like to be in a similar situation. The ability to put oneself in another’s shoes is a prime component of emotional intelligence.

Brings your values to life

It’s one thing to say that you are passionate about voter registration; it’s quite another to go door-to-door registering voters or to spend primary day driving people to the polls.

When you volunteer (and it’s safe and appropriate and within agency or project guidelines) be sure to take your kids along. Experience speaks volumes. They may not remember what you said about certain topics – but they’ll remember what you did. And that’s a legacy that can make any parent proud.

Read all of Andrea's Tips for Non-Profit Boards and Directors.

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Andrea Patten is an author, trainer and former NFP director.  What Kids Need to Succeed: Four Foundations of Adult Achievement provides parents with useful insights from high-achieving adults.  (Hint:  one of the Four Foundations is ‘giving.’)  An advocate for children and families she currently volunteers as an Area Coordinator for the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance.  Connect with Andrea via her success parenting blog, Twitter or Facebook!   She’d love to hear from you.

International Volunteer Day | December 5, 2010

 


In 1985, the United Nations established December 5 as International Volunteer Day as a day of service throughout the world. From Bermuda to Bagladesh, from Malawi to Mexico, people all over the planet are joined together today in this peaceful effort to help others and celebrate volunteering. 

In researching the holiday, I came across this article about volunteerism in Europe: 3 out of 10 Europeans volunteer in some capacity and if all the volunteers worldwide were added up, the Volunteer Nation would be the 9th most populous country in the world.

It's incredible to think about in a world fragmented by language, religion and politics that there is this one important unifying factor -- we want to help. And those of us who do help are a powerful force for good and for peace and for making the world (literally) a better place.

This year we are stressed beyond measure over wars, over hunger, and over the global financial crisis, but on this day, we can join together not only in relieving some of that stress but in changing the world that we live in.

The United Nations Volunteers program has made volunteering for one or more of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) its theme for International Volunteer Day 2010, reminding people around the world of the difference that they can make. It will be an opportunity to highlight and showcase just how volunteerism is contributing to achieving reaching these important worldwide goals.

Meeting the MDGs will require the engagement of millions of people through volunteer action. Through an online community, Share the Story is inviting you to join the global discussion about how volunteerism can tip the balance towards meeting the MDGs. The deadline for meeting the Goals is 2015. Already, volunteers are contributing their expertise; communities are taking action to improve their lives; and decision makers are increasingly realizing the value of volunteerism. These stories don’t make the news, but they are changing the world.  For more information on UNV's IVD campaign, please visit Share the Story.

Here in the US, we are part of the global Volunteer Nation. We are often know for our proud stance as American, but we can reach out in global understanding that we are part of a more universal world as members of the Volunteer Nation as well. It is our service that changes environments, changes lives and changes minds. Thanks for what you do and celebrate your achievements in volunteering! And go add a stamp to your new passport!

For those inspired to take action with a group of friends, coworkers or neighbors, let VolunteerSpot simplify your service!

Managing Holiday Commitments | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach

Too much to do, too little time.

Parties, shopping, gifts to give and receive, vacation time ...Oh, and don't forget all the regular "everyday items" too.

No wonder everyone is over committed {and overwhelmed} this time of year!

How can you manage it all and still stay in the holiday spirit? Well, that part may not be so easy.

As a volunteer, a parent ... someone that generally over commits, I'm going to suggest something that will go against everything you believe.

Brace yourself.

Ready?

Just say NO.

I know, you think you may have just heard a semi slam on its breaks in the back of your mind!

Don't worry. You're getting the advice {to just say NO} from the best source.

A Recovering Over Committer {ROC}.

When my children were younger I thought the best way to be a good mom was to volunteer the heck out of my time. That was until my husband finally said to me:

"You haven't had dinner with the family in 3 days, I thought all this volunteering was suppose to bring you closer to the kids? Seems like it's actually taking you away."

That was the semi hitting the brakes for me.

I evaluated where my time was really going. More importantly, I evaluated what things I spent doing while I wished I was with my little tikes.

Holiday commitments are a lot like volunteering too much. Although, this time of year there probably is a whole lot more family guilt involved.

So, as we enter into the month of December, take a moment to evaluate:

• what you know you have to do {work, athletic practices, band concerts, clean the house}

• what you'd like to do {parties, family gatherings, vacation}

• what you wish you could do {PJ day, turn the phone off for the afternoon, bake enough cookies for ALL the shelters}

Once you have a clearer picture of how things come together determine their priority as well as what will "trump" what.                    

For example:

If you've planned to spend all day baking cookies in your PJ's but Aunt Jane has informed you that everyone is celebrating the gift exchange at Grandpa's house ... what "trumps" what? Believe me some of my clients would happily go to Grandpa's while others would inform the family that their Marathon Baking Day is a tradition they just cannot change.

When you enter into a busy time knowing you're going to be derailed {even against your best efforts to make a plan} it can go a long way in coping with the insanity as well as keeping up your spirits if you have a good idea of how things measure up against one another.

I'd love to know if I have any other ROC's out there or if you already know what "trumps" what ... leave a comment, you just never know who you might help this holiday season!

 

***

April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect

 

Use Socials to Fight Malaria

In the U.S., we understand the importance of saving lives by fighting breast cancer or educating the public on how to prevent heart disease or advertising new products that help diabetes—but malaria is a disease that is unfamiliar to our part of the world.

In Africa, malaria is a nasty fact of life. In the U.S. it is someone else’s problem.

This year in Africa, one million people—most of them children—will die from malaria. In these days and times, it seems inconceivable that a tiny insect—the mosquito—can do so much physical damage and cause so much personal heartache.

Yes, raising money is a priority when it comes to throwing a house party for Imagine No Malaria. But it’s bigger than that. It’s about saving children’s lives. It’s about fixing something that is fixable; healing something that is healable; preventing something that is preventable. At your house party, you have the opportunity to put faces on those who suffer. We believe when your guests see those faces and hear the stories of both sorrow and joy, they will be moved to do the right thing . . . the giving thing.

So, get the party started! All you need to be a house party host or hostess is a heart for the children of Africa . . . and for their mothers and fathers. It’s a good cause. Make it your cause.

Put your heart into partying for a life-saving cause.
Good times for a good cause.

Just invite folks who like to have a good time. Throw in a little food. Mix in a lot of fun. Do it all to make a difference. And before you can say “party hearty,” your Imagine No Malaria house party will have raised enough money to provide life-saving medicine, health training and mosquito nets to protect children and adults from malaria in Africa. LEARN MORE

And for more ideas on how to use social events as fundraisers: Fundraising - Silent Auction Addition - Socials