Three Non-Profits I Heart: Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Wikipedia and the Newark Boys & Girls Club

This time of year I always make a few last-minute donations to places I've meant to give to all year but of course haven't gotten it together to put my money where my, er, heart is.

Last year I did a Comment for a Cause post on this blog, pledging to donate a dollar per comment left - ending up on the hook for a mind-boggling $35. Yep, that post went totally viral.*

So this year, I'll skip the commenting requirement and just mail a check make an online donation to these organizations I heart:

Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood - This organization is behind a lot of amazing campaigns like ones that keep advertising (often via Scholastic) out of school curriculum. They also provide education and viable alternatives to parents and educators who want to reduce, or even eliminate, marketing from kids' lives. They don't accept any corporate funding, so they rely on individual donations.

Wikipedia - Yes, I will admit it - I was swayed by the personal appeals at the top of the pages. But I didn't donate to Wikipedia because I am such a gigantic Wikipedia user. I donated to Wikipedia because I think it's truly inspiring that this behemoth of a site has chosen not to have advertising on the site. As someone who tries to monetize my own teeny-tiny online mouse hole any way I can, I greatly respect someone who isn't plastering ads and who-knows-what all over their site, and my user-experience. And if I can help Wikipedia keep going via their model of user-supported donations, sure I'll be in on that.

Newark Boys and Girls Club - This last one is because I believe in supporting local organizations, and Newark is just up the road from my neighborhood. And no, it doesn't hurt that I'm a huge fan of Mayor Booker. The Boys and Girls Club runs an incredible array of life-changing youth programs that promote education, life skills, the arts and much more. And, they're active in social media - which I think more organizations should be. So, I'm giving them a donation for that reason, too.


With one day left to make a difference in 2011, I'd love to hear which organizations do you heart?

*Despite the monetary failure of last year's Comment for a Cause, it was not a total bust. Through the comments I "met" some great people like Michelle Simon who blogs at Appetite for Profit and tweets at @Appetite4Profit; Lisa Sunbury who blogs at Regarding Baby and tweets at @RegardingBaby and Erin who blogs at Marketing, Media and Childhood and tweets at @mktgchildhood. So it was totally worth it for those connections alone.

Comment for a Cause: Support the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood

Thank you everyone for your support of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and your thoughtful comments. I'll be sending a donation to CCFC from Random Handprints Comment for a Cause tomorrow. 

I'm not buying much this holiday season. Hanukkah has already come-and-gone at our house, and we didn't give the kids that much, and my husband and I didn't give each other much, either. I'd like to say that's because we're very trendy, and we all know green is the way to go these days. But it's really just because our house is so full of stuff already it looks like one big junk-filled closet. So, no more stuff for us this holiday season.

But I did still go shopping for kids. Just not my kids. This year, I bought stuff for kids who not only need it, but might actually appreciate it. Whether it's books, toys, clothes, or something painfully practical, there's a lot of need out there. Just not in my house, and probably not at lot of your houses, either.  I know my kids don't need another puzzle or stuffed animal, but someone else out there really does. This year I went shopping "Blueberry Sal" style - one gift for my family, two or three gifts for another family.

This holiday season I'm also making a donation to the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC).  They're out there making sure our kids get more out of their childhood then unhealthy food and brain-numbing "educational" TV.  The people at the CCFC are the ones who made sure our kids don't have to look at Ronald McDonald on their report cards, or hold Sunny D parties in their classrooms, or listen to non-stop radio ads when they're on the school bus (Though it looks like more schools are about to get BusRadio - please help prevent this from happening!)  And the folks at the CCFC manage to do all this, and they do not accept any corporate donations.

If you are also grateful for the efforts made on behalf of children by the CCFC, leave a comment of support for all they do below. I'll donate a dollar to the CCFC for every comment left here between now and Christmas (also known as Merry Zoo Day at our house).

You can also make a tax-deductible donation here, and through Dec. 31, 2010, all donations over $150 will be matched by an anonymous donor.

P.S. If you are looking for some ideas to celebrate the season with more joy and less consumption, check out the wonderful and useful CCFC Guide to Commercial-Free Holidays.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS! Also wanted to update the above with information via CCFC - BusRadio has ceased operations! Yet another reason to be thankful for all CCFC does.

Tooth Fairies and Homeboys

My latest post is up on the NYC Moms Blog, The New and Improved Tooth Fairy. I'm very sad to have to report that at the end of the month the NYC Moms Blog will be no more. Even though I've only written for the site for a brief time, it was great getting to know so many other mommy bloggers online and in the real world. I'll miss all of it.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who left a comment on behalf of Homeboy Industries, in the end there were 34 in all. I feel like I'm getting off easy with just a $34 donation, so I'll happily give a bit more to help Father Greg and his truly inspiring organization. Best of luck Homeboy, I hope you make it.

Make a Comment, Make a Difference for Homeboy Industries

I've been thinking a lot lately about what a comment's worth. It seems most people out there are willing to leave one for just the chance of winning something, no matter how small.

I'm not really the giveaway type (though this may change) but I do like the idea of inviting comments. So I thought I'd start a monthly Comments for a Cause. I invite you all to leave a comment here on behalf of Homeboy Industries.

I heard about Homeboy Industries for the first time a few weeks back when the founder, Father Greg Boyle, was being interviewed on NPR. Then I was reminded again when I read the compelling Save Homeboy Industries, by Yvonne Condes on the Los Angeles Moms Blog.

For every comment made on this post by next Sunday, June 20, I'll donate $1 to Homeboy Industries. You can also donate directly to Homeboy Industries or purchase Father Boyle's book, Tattoos on the Heart, all proceeds go to Homeboy Industries.

Thank you everyone for your comments, I hope to get some more before Sunday!