Valentines with Purpose

The whole motivation behind this blog is putting more purpose in my spending.  So after Christmas my thoughts turned to Valentine's day and how could this time where we spend lots on Valentines for our kids' classmates that just create clutter and waste, be more purposeful.

I thought it would be great to offer Valentines that help others and of course, being a Sole Hope ambassador, that's the first organization I thought of.  So I headed over to my favorite online printing company and created a little Sole Hope Valentine.  I printed them at my own cost and am offering them for a minimum $1 per card donation to Sole Hope (100% of the money from these goes directly to Sole Hope).



They are standard postcard size and include white envelopes.  The reverse side includes more information about Sole Hope.

 



Wouldn't they be cute to hand out and raise a little awareness for a great charity and some money for them too?  Please e-mail me at crissbe@gmail.com if you would like to order these! 

Here's another idea for a purposeful Valentine.  Equal Exchange, a company that offers Fair Trade items has a 24 pack of Valentine's with Fair Trade chocolates (milk or dark) for $7.99.  Shipping is another $7.50 (or free for orders over $75). 

And lastly, this isn't a pack of Valentine cards, but an idea from a charity called Love146 that works to end Child Trafficking.  How about throwing a party around Valentine's Day to raise awareness for this issue?

Would also love comments on ways to put purpose in your Valentine's day. Please share!

Y Not Help?

The idea for this post comes from my sister, a Social Worker with a big heart for kids.  If you want healthy living tips, check out her blog here.  She teaches an exercise class at her local Y and mentioned all the great things they are doing for the kids in that area.  For example, providing lunch over the summer to kids who would normally get free lunch at school but may miss that meal when school is out.  She points out, "they served grapes to the kids and some had never tasted them before and they grow right here in our county!"

If you have any experience with a Y you know what a great asset they are, not just to underprivileged kids, but to all kids and adults in the community. 

So, how about show a little love for the Y by ordering a cute Halloween tee!  They are SUPER cheap at $3.55 for white and $4.56 for colored choices.  This is a limited edition shirt and according to the Y shop's website, all orders are taken until 9/14 (that's Friday - so do it NOW) and are guaranteed to ship on 10/15.  Here is the link:  http://www.ymcastore.org/ViewCategory.aspx?det=1&cid=136

Would love to hear how the Y has benefited you or your community in the comments below.  Please share!

Purposeful Reading

If you’re looking for a purposeful read, check out Half the Sky by Pulitzer prize winning authors Nicholas B. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, a husband and wife team.  Half the Sky refers to a Chinese saying that Women hold up half the sky.  The book is about the plight of women globally.  It reads a little like a college textbook, filled with statistics but they are sprinkled throughout real (and moving) stories.  It starts off a little somber, but builds you up to hope in the end.  It is an eye-opening book that will have you feeling grateful for the life you have and inspired to help others.  There is even a 2 part documentary planned for PBS this fall based on the stories in the book.

If you are looking to inspire your children (and summer reading is right around the corner), there are some great books that will help convey clearly how a seemingly small act of kindness can make a big difference.  Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier and One Hen – How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway are good choices.  Both have excellent illustrations too.  You can read the follow up to the true story of Beatrice and her goat here.

Read, be inspired, get motivated, make a difference.