My favourite day of the year is almost here: World Give Day – May 4th, 2012. After completing my own personal giving journey for 365days I had the honour of meeting people from all over the world that are doing so much to give back in their own way. I was asked by the team at World Give Day to write a story how small gift can create a big impact. It happens to be the 365give philosophy. You don’t have to be a Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey and give billions of dollars away in your lifetime but one small gift / give and make a huge impact.

My World Give Day story is based on one such women that saved one little beings life in Romania while there on business.

Meet my sister Karen Somers – animal rescuer extrodinaire and Stella – the life she saved from Romania. You will see how her one small gift has brought so much joy to a family and will now make a great impact on hundreds of dogs lives.

Little Stella is one of over 2 million street dogs that wander throughout Romania.

This one-month-old pup crossed our paths on a movie location outside Bucharest. At the end of a long, cold night shoot, during a rain storm, this sickly puppy was the last dog left, too weak to find shelter. We were in a foreign country and didn’t know what to do.

Stella’s experience is a common one in Romania, a country that struggles to provide for its impoverished citizens on every level. Night after night, thousands of dogs go hungry, left to fend for themselves in temperatures that will eventually freeze many of them to death. The problem is not only a moral one, it also comes down to math. Every unsterilized female dog and her offspring in their lifetime and that of their puppies can produce over 67,000 dogs. Spay and neuter programs, education and shelter are in short supply to deal with this overwhelming dilemma. So USA-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, Romania Animal Rescue (RAR), was formed by American animal activist, Nancy Janes, to help where help was so sorely needed. Nancy and her team have created an effective free spay and neuter program in Romania utilizing highly skilled local veterinarians. They go town to town, doing up to 300 operations in a weekend. Their efforts are making headway on a grassroots level, slowly transforming the way a generation will help “man’s best friend”.

Stella and I were lucky that night.

She was wrapped up in a blanket and smuggled into my Romanian hotel room. After fostering with a local vet, she got her shots and flew home (20 hours on my lap) with me to California last November. Stella is an incredible dog. She wakes up with joy and goes to sleep in peace. She brings laughter and sunshine where ever she goes. Stella inspired me to help her family left in Romania.

 In Stella’s name we are raising $10,000 to help Romania Animal Rescue’s spay/neuter program.

You and your dollars will make a huge difference to a homeless dog in Romania. Please donate what you can afford today to the Stella Fund.

“This post is part of a blog series inspired by World Give Day and hosted by GiveForward.  To find other posts in this series please visit www.worldgiveday.com or follow us on twitter @worldgiveday.”

I beleive it is the the next generation that will make a huge positive impact on our planet. Children are being taught at home and in school from an early age how they can treat the planet with respect and kindness. I personally started teaching my son at the age of 2 and now at the age of 4 he can tell you 10 ways to help protect our earth and practices them in his daily life.

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to get the next generation involved with their Top 12 Ways to save the planet every day. The children of the world can teach us wonderful things if we take the time to listen.

Top 12 Way To Help the Planet by the elementary children of Eagle Habour Montessori School.

1. Re-use materials as much as possible.
2. Don’t waste food. Don’t buy so many groceries.
3. Stop littering to protect the environment- oceans, plants, animals.
4. Stop polluting.
5. Conserve water-turn taps off/use less water/don’t have so many baths.
6. Save electricity- turn off tvs/computers/lights
7. Take care of plants and animals-limit trees chopped down and use both sides of the paper!
8. Don’t need so many toys! Make our own toys.
9. Don’t make so many plastic bag factories.  If you drop plastic bags in the ocean, turtles might think they’re jellyfish and eat them.
10. Use cars less. Walk instead of driving.
11. Re-use ziplock bags.
12. Don’t make so many factories.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

BC Breast Cancer Awareness Day is just around the corner and as a local Vancouverite I thought a little inspiration to give was due.

I could spout facts and figures about breast cancer, give you tips on how to do a self exam, 10 ways to volunteer or donate to support the research that will one day cure breast cancer. But instead I thought a few remarkable videos may get the message across.

This videos will teach you how to do a breast exam (and make you laugh out loud)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsyE2rCW71o

The videos will make you feel like dancing in the streets.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_pekaDuYcQ

The women will inspire you to give a little more.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM_Sz-ZLt5M

Just one image may change the way you think about breast cancer

and how you will give today.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SasAYjCJeU

Your involvement and support of BC’s Breast Cancer Awareness Day will help change the lives of women across Canada. If you want to be part of this special day consider attending the 20th annual Awareness Day luncheon. You will have a chance to hear keynote speaker René Syler - renowned parent blogger, as Good Enough Mother - talk about her journey through a controversial preventive mastectomy surgery. (read her story on Oprah.com)

Find your own way to give to support breast cancer. Whether you volunteer, donate, spread awareness or talk openly about it. The more we talk about what is killing us the more people will do something about it. Favourite the videos on You Tube, Tweet, share on Facebook and remind the world that we care for all that have suffered and all that have died.

Breast cancer is not a secret, it’s not a bad word – it’s the reality we are living every day. On May 3rd be aware and give generously.

Image by Visual Paradox

How do you raise a billion dollars for people and organizations

in need around the world?

A great question for so many people that are raising funds every day to give back to the world. What if you had a secret recipe that would change the world and raise billions of dollars along the way? It’s been done and they all started with the same ingredient.

• Bill Gates has done it.
• Bill Clinton has done it.
• Bono has done it. 
• The United Way has done it.
• The Salvation Army has done it.

The secret is simple – it all starts with $1.00 and the inspiration to change the world.

I recently met Mike Zserdin founder and writer of the Generosity Manifesto and the Change Crew via Twitter. At 365give we like to share stories of people that are doing their part to create change in the world. Mike has a goal to raise a few billion dollars. Mike started his giving journey by writing the Generosity Manifesto to encourage and inspire people to give more in their lives.

“I have started by working with friends to give away a few billion dollars. I think money helps advance world change. My hope is that the manifesto empowers and encourages people to believe that (most of us) have a little extra to give and those little, extra gifts make a difference. I grew up. I hit my 40s and realized my life is half over. I watched a close friend die and others grow old. Each of them encouraged me to live for something bigger than myself.  I then came across a TED Theme, What The World Needs Now and read Seth Godin’s compilation of essays, What Matters Now. And, and then saw a headline by Chris Brogan, We Could Do So Much More…I began asking myself these very questions. I realized I couldn’t do everything but, I knew I could do a little more. As a result, my family and I started giving a little more. We realized that we have enough to give a little more. Since then, we’ve begun feeding kids in Africa for $50 a year, then traveling there to see first hand what’s wrong and right in that part of the world. In one word, the catalyst was Perspective. When we see what a little gift does and began to realize how much we have it made it easy to give a little more.”

Mike is not making it complicated or an impossible dream – he is asking friends and family to be more generous in their lives. He is encouraging people to give what they can but give a little more. Mike is taking one step at a time starting with his Generosity Manifesto to help people realize the positive effects of giving. It’s a free online book that will take just a few minutes of your time to read. It will inspire you to give more and feel happier in your life. 365give shares a similar philosophy that is featured in the book. I call it the ripple effect and Mike calls it the Boomerang Effect.

The Boomerang Effect–You Get What You Give: An excerpt from the Generosity Manifesto 

There is truth in the seemingly absurd notion that we can pay it forward.

Jeff Goins observes, “The paradox of life is the more money you give, the more you get.” His article “ What You Get From Giving: The Paradox of Generosity” is a must read. Jeff claims that giving is good for you and me. He’s right.

Like Jeff, some of you have experienced the boomerang effect of generosity—the more good you throw out, the more comes back. Even science supports the boomerang effect. Generous people are happier, skinnier, and more productive. Jeff says, “There are legitimate health, business, and psychological one is this: it gives meaning to life.”

As it turns out, practicing generosity is a key to getting all we really want. Things such as genuine smiles, greater peace, community, lower blood pressure, a sense of accomplishment, and even the opportunity to change the world.

Giving also kicks depression in the teeth.

You get what you give. Give to change another’s story and you will be transformed.

Many of us are looking for that magic recipe to raise money for the charities we love and stand behind. Maybe this is the key – imagine a billion dollars and start raising it $1.00 at a time. Find your inspiration to change the world. Leave a comment and share your story with 365give – just maybe it will inspire one other person to give more today.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xjPODksI08

Video by Playing for Change

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and 365give has 10 inspiring ideas to help you give the perfect gift for love & social good.

1) The Chocoholic: Does the one you love have a chocolate fetish? Why not give chocolate that creates social change and gives back to the planet with your purchase: One of my favourites is Alter Eco for fair trade and organic chocolate but for a great selection of socially concious chocolate take a look at this Top 10 Eco-Friendly Chocolate Treats list created by Greenopolis.

Photo by Ashley

2) Roses from the Heart: Who doesn’t love to receiving flowers as a gift on Valentine`s Day especially roses as a token of your love. Consider buying Fair Trade Roses. Purchasing Fair Trade roses protects the people working hard to grow these special flowers with fair wages, protection against pesticides, and no child labour. Whole Foods is just one of the many places you can get Fair Trade roses but search online for a retailer near you.

3) The Pet Lover: Shop for the special pet in your life at the Humane Society Store and every purchase will help to support the thousands of animals rescued every year. Even better –  buy one for your local SPCA animal rescue shelter and drop it off as a donation.

4) Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend: As most of us know diamonds may be a “girls best friend” but so many diamonds are associated with crime, child labour and environment stripping that it may not be the best gift for social good. Instead why not give the gift of jewellery that truly means something special. The Hunger Site features jewellery that is unique, inspiring and truly thoughtful as it gives back with every purchase.

5) For Kids Only: I still remember the days when everyone made a card for your classmates on Valentine’s Day. Instead of buying pre-made Valentine’s for your child’s class why not give a gift that will truly mean something to your child. Take the time to make cards by hand or home-made cookies that are cut with love. Spending time with your children doing creative projects is one of the greatest “gives” you can do.

6) Breakfast in Bed: I can’t resist sharing this one for the name alone and the taste is even better. Love Crunch: Dark Chocolate with Red Berries. Imagine that for Valentine’s Day breakfast. Here’s the giving kick – they follow the Bite4Bite model: for every bag purchased Nature’s Path will donate the equivalent in cash and/or organic food up to $1,000,000 a year to The Food Bank. Every bite will not only give your mouth love but it will give you love in your heart.

7) A Love Letter: What better way to show someone you truly love and appreciate them than a hand written letter. Get inspired by The Note Project and help them reach their goal of sending 1 million notes of appreciation to make the world a better place.

Love Song: You may be the hottest new artist to be discover on YouTube with your love song. Write a love song and load it up to YouTube for your loved one. Make a pledge that for every view you get on Valentine`s Day you will make a donation (even a penny per view makes a difference!) to your loved ones favourite charity.

9) E-Cards: Do you know how much waste is created from greeting cards every year? More than our planet possibly needs. Did you know that Americans spend more than 2 billion dollars on greeting cards alone over the holiday season? Imagine if that money went to charity instead – what if it planted a tree? Send an e-card that will truly make an impact. The Arbor Day Foundation has a selection of greeting cards that will plant a tree with every purchase. Save the planet one e-card at a time!

10) The Valentine`s Day Gift that Truly Gives. The Huffington Post and CauseCast has created the go to site for giving called The Goods. An online destination providing you with brilliant ideas for gifts that truly give this Valentine`s Day. Choose the amount you want to donate and search over 100 nonprofit organizations that truly need our support in honour of your loved one.

We can show our love for another in so many ways on February 14th. Please consider making your love count by doing some social good this Valentine`s Day. We would love to hear your great ideas for giving a gift that changes the world on Valentine`s Day. Leave a comment, send us a Tweet or post a comment on Facebook.

We can change the world one Valentine at a time. 

Supporting the homeless has been a passion of mine for years.

My philanthropic career got started a number of decades ago by working with the homeless in Toronto. My work has inspired me on so many levels to give back to the world. It helped me understand a side of life that I had not been exposed to growing up and the compassion that is needed by all of us. This young man in the video has had a very challenged life from the time he was 3. He will inspire you to feel compassion for humanity of all walks of life. He became an orphan at the age of three and has been taking care of himself since the age of 5. As a mother of 2 children that were given up at birth (and put into foster care) I felt for this young person. He has been through more in his life than most of us will ever be able to comprehend but he is following his dream with commitment and passion. You never know who is behind the face of homelessness and if you feel compassion in your heart from this young man take the time to see past the face of homelessness and see the human being that is in front of you. We all have dreams – what if you could help just one person follow theirs.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ46Ot4_lLo

Thank you Jan for sending me this inspiring video and for all the work you do in your life to change the world. (MissionPossible / Global Soul Sisters)

If you have a video you would like to share with 365give that will inspire more humanity in our world please send us a comment, Tweet or Facebook note. 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_3BEwpv0dM

The holiday season is here. The stress of getting every detail completed before the big day is at a peak and many of us wonder if it will actually come together. The “to do” list is as long as your arm and Christmas seems more like work than joy, love, peace and happiness.

I hit a peak last night while wrapping Christmas gifts at 10:00 pm as the “to do” list in my head was replaying itself over and over. How was I possibly going to get everything done with a 4 year old bouncing off the walls and a new baby in my arms. My list seemed never ending: preparing the house, cooking Christmas dinner, last minute gift shopping…… I was driving myself into a holiday stress frenzy.

There is no one that should be more grateful than me this Christmas. I have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy that we just adopted weeks ago and I was forgetting to take the time every day just to be grateful. I needed perspective and I found it through this video of one person that is so selfless and giving I wanted to share it with you.

It reminded me what Christmas is really about – giving with your heart, being grateful for all you have and counting each blessing as it comes into your day.  Narayana Krishnan the gentleman featured for his remarkable work in the video reminded me of just that – he reminded me to stop trying to make Christmas “Martha Stewart” perfect and reflect on my life for all it’s blessings.

I was inspired by Tina Sue this morning from Think Simple Now by a post entitled 20 Ways to Be Grateful.  The article in worth a read and will inspire you to find the things in your life you are grateful for and how to share those thoughts with those around you. The greatest gift you could give this holiday season is not the perfectly wrapped present under the tree. Instead try looking your best friend, your brother, your mother. your neighbour, your children – even your pet right in the eye and telling them how grateful you are for them in your life. Here are some of my favourite quotes on being grateful this holiday season.

Gratitude Quotes

• The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. The more grateful you are the more you will get. Oprah
• God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  Have you used one to say “thank you?”  ~William A. Ward
• Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.  ~G.B. Stern
• If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart
• You say grace before meals.  All right.  But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.  ~G.K. Chesterton
• If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.  It will change your life mightily.  ~Gerald Good
• Gratitude is the music of the heart, when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness.  ~Author Unknown
• Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.  ~William Arthur Ward

I am so grateful for everyone that has supported 365give this past year. You have inspired me, made me laugh, supported me when I needed it the most and encouraged me to keep giving even on the days I didn’t think I had it in me. I feel honoured to know you – my Twitter friends, my readers, my Facebook friends and those who have just stumbled upon my site.  Giving is my passion and being grateful is something I will remember to do every day of the year.

‘Tis the season to give but not all of us have the means to make cash donations to our favourite charities. What if instead of giving cash you did one “good deed” every day between now and Christmas. My friend Alex of @Good_Indeed on Twitter has done just that – committed to one good deed every day for 365 days, tweeting his good deed each day.

He is on day 317 of 365 days of good deeds and 365give got his very personal Top 10 favourite ways to inspire you to “do good” every day.

Guest Post by Alex D @Good_Indeed 

One day listening to yet another account of alarming news on the radio, I began to wonder what kind of effect this constant bombardment of negativity may have on all of us. How could we be positive when there is so much pessimism in the world?

How could we be hopeful when the picture painted in front us is so dark?

For some reason, at that very instant, I felt the need to give people more positive examples to counteract the negativity in our daily lives. That’s how my 1-year “A Deed A Day” challenge came to be. I have always been a strong believer in the big impact of small actions.

• The same way a dirty look or a disrespectful gesture can spoil our day and contribute to our bitterness;
• The same way a smile or a helping hand can make a world of a difference and help us get closer to one another.

I didn’t know how far I would go with this, but I must admit that giving is quite addictive.

The more you give, the more you seem to receive and so on…

Everyone should try it. Who knows, someday there may be more good deeds than bad ones on the evening news.

• Top 10 list of Good Deeds

So you want to give more but don’t have the extra money or time.

Let 365give help you find your inner philanthropist with just a click. 

Here is the perfect way for you to become the philanthropist you have always wanted to be and is won’t cost you a dime or time. Just a click and you can be part of the Hanes Sock Drive by providing the Salvation Army with socks for a person in need this holiday season.

The goal is big – 250,000 by December 15th so you need to click right now. One click = one pair of socks donated by Hanes. No time, no money. Embrace your inner philanthropist and give today!

Do you have an easy way to become a philanthropist we can share with the world? Leave us a comment or send us a Tweet and we will share the giving! Happy Holidays!

Do you have a long gift list this year? Why not buy gifts that will truly make a difference? 

Buy one, give one companies are a great way to make your holiday shopping count. Every time you make a purchase you give to the people on your holiday list and a person in need. It is the hottest new business model that is sweeping the world and giving on a grand scale. This holiday season consider buying a gift for that special someone that will truly have meaning.

365give Top 5 Ways to Buy One & Give One

Tom’s Shoes / Tom’s Eyewear

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz7-iwmNkRA&feature

If you haven’t heard of Tom’s Shoes then you need to check them out. Tom’s Shoes has given over 1,000,000 pairs of shoes (and counting) to children all over the world that have none. You buy one pair of shoes for a gift (or yourself) and they will deliver a pair to someone personally. What a gift! Tom’s Shoes has now expanded to eyewear! Watch the video for the inspiring story and happy shopping! Check out Day 188 of 365 days of giving on how you can support Tom’s Shoes all year round. It’s not just about shopping it’s a movement that is changing the world.

Sevenly

Sevenly is a new company that is creating a huge impact around the world. It is not a traditional buy one give one concept but it is a buy one give a donation worth adding to your list. It gives you a unique item (a specially designed t-shirt) that is only available for 1 week. With every t-shirt purchased $7.00 is donated to the featured weekly charity. 52 charities benefit from Sevenly over the course of a year. The goal each week – sell 1000 shirts and give $7000. It not only gives money but awareness and following to the charities featured.

Smile Squared

Rethink Buying. It’s a tag line we should all consider with every purchase we make. How can our shopping have a global impact? Smile Squared is is making an impact on the next generation by keeping teeth strong, healthy and clean. How many times do you remind your children to brush their teeth every day? What if you didn’t have a toothbrush for your child? It’s a small yet significant item that every child needs. Buy one as a stocking stuffer for your child and educate them on giving at the same time.

Shop With Meaning

If you want shop for ideas in the comfort of your own home, Shop with Meaning is the place to go. I have used this site not only for the holiday season but for occasions all year round. (Day 259 of 365 days of giving) You will find not only buy one give one ideas but an entire site dedicated to shopping for good. You can do all your ethical shopping in one spot and with every purchase 20% of your dollars will be donated to the charity of your choice. Give, give and give some more with Shop With Meaning.

Blanket Statements

“Blanket Statements was founded with this goal in mind: to provide physical warmth, spiritual comfort and love by means of sharing a blanket.” Over the years I have worked with many people that have such great needs and a blanket can bring so much to a person. It shows compassion, kindness and love. With every warm throw blanket you purchase with Blanket Statements one will be donated along with a note of kindness, to a women’s shelter.

These are just a few of the companies giving back all year round just by doing business. Consider making a difference this year as you shop for the holiday season. Giving comes in many shapes and forms. Being a philanthropist can be as easy as shopping. Support these companies that are doing so much good this season and make every dollar you spend count.

Do you have a company you would like to recognize for all the good they do? Leave us a comment, send us a Tweet or Facebook comment. Let’s shine the light on people that have made giving their business.