The Girl's Guide to Giving Back

The Hills - Anyone else obsessed?

2008-10-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know that I am 35. I know that I am not supposed to like these type of shows, but I am mildly obssessed with The Hills. I love that you can watch entire episodes online. And I actually really like the fact that Lauren, the lead on the show, does a fair amount of charity work in the public eye. For a 22 year old, that is pretty forward thinking, and I respect the fact that she knows she is a public figure and wants to set a good example. Plus, she has good taste!

So I wanted to check out Mark Cosmetics (from Avon), b/c I know she works with them, and came across this really cute $22 necklace that donates 100% of the net proceeds from Lauren's Have A Heart Necklace to the Girls M.powerment Campaign. I think this would make an adorable stocking stuffer for the Holidays. Now I just wish that Bailout bill would go through so I could feel like I could even spend $22... But that's a whole different story...

Cancer sucks me in again...

2008-05-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

I see I've been out of touch lately. I've been doing the famous balancing act of working full time and raising an 8 month old. I am one tired lady! But even with my tiredess, this post from Erin Zammett at Glamour brought me out of my hiberation. These absolutely adorable office/school supplies donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am obssed with office supplies, and I absolutely love spiral notebooks and will be on the lookout for these specific ones from jackiemcfee.com. Her site is absolutely adorable as well. Check out the store locator on where you can buy this line!

Long time no talk

2007-12-17T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hi y'all. I see that people are still coming to this blog, so I wanted to reach out to you and remind you to purchase holiday gifts that give back! I've been reading about a ton of products and companies (I believe Target is doing something throughout the store). We have a great new store here in Santa Barbara, called SB Arts (sbarts.org) that donates 100% of proceeds to an animal sanctuary. And they have beautiful stuff! Check it out and order online!

Ok, back to the screaming infant. This is what I have been doing for the past 3 months!

Happy Holidays!

Taking a Break...

2007-05-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, not that I am a posting maniac or anything, but I have decided to take a break from posting on my blog. I am nearly 6 months pregnant, taking on more responsibility at work, and just pooped in general. I'm leaving this up though, and if you want to IM me, go ahead and send me a note through this Meebo Widget. I am usually online all day from 9am - 5pm PST, and I look forward to hearing from you... Keep buying presents that give back to reputable charities!!!

Google Alerts! "Give Back"

2007-04-03T16:28:00.001-07:00

So the day after I posted the note about the Nature Conservancy, I got a nice note from a woman who works there thanking me for the post. It occurred to me that perhaps a few people were actually reading this thing! And then I noticed that on the days that I post, that my traffic actually spikes! Now considering I am actually an Online Marketing Executive by trade, you would think I would know these things. But since I truly do this for fun, I haven't really thought about it much other than making sure I get some good ideas on here to share with y'all.

Now I'm a bit more inspired. In fact, I signed up for Google Alerts and now once a week, I get a list of sites that feature anything on "giving back." I found a great new site based on this week's Google Alerts -- theSavvyGiver.com. It's the first blog I have seen that remotely covers what I'm trying to talk about, and let me tell you I'm thrilled to post about it.

Check out their ideas for some cute gifts, like the John Varvatos beanie hat (my hubby would love this) and the Build a Book.

I hope they keep posting!

Wednesday Afternoon Quiz...

2007-03-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

So a quick quiz for y'all. How many vases do TWO dozen roses take up????

Yes, ladies and gentleman, count 'em, six vases full of gorgeous roses. Thanks to Mallun, Jason, Bo and Anna for sending D and I these beautiful roses from Organic Bouquet. This particular type of bouquet benefits the Nature Conservancy whose mission is to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity in life.

These roses came in a biodegradable box and each rose was carefully hand wrapped. Very high quality. I love it when people use the companies and products that I feature on this site. It makes me happy knowing that I am doing my small part and that you guys may pass along a site like this. I would highly recommend these guys for the next time you purchase flowers for someone you love... Thanks again!

Daylight Savings Optimism

2007-03-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited about the extra light we are going to be getting for daylight savings. Coming home from work in the dark is always a drag, and I love it when it stays late until well into the evening. I think this is foreshadowing for the year ahead. It's the year of Optimism! Or at least it is for me.

Speaking of Optimism, I was checking out one of my favorite shopping sites: shopintuition.com and found a whole slew of cute items that donate to charity with postive messages. I especially love these bracelets by Dogeared. They are only $32 and the proceeds benefit American Red Cross, hurricane relief. What a great bday gift for your best friend - the "Friends" version in blue is adorable.

Wrapping up and moving on...

2007-02-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

Well it's been quite a month in our household. I've been down to LA three weekends in a row cleaning out my mom's condo that we sold. Thanks to everyone who helped with this process. We worked with two great organizations that I would highly recommend if you are ever in a situation where you need to donate (or get rid of) a large amount of household stuff.

The main charity that we donated to was the National Council of Jewish Women. They came and took nearly everything which was a real godsend. Then at the last minute, they couldn't take the couch! Agh! It was like those moments when I was working in advertising when something really bad would happen at the last minute. I literally had 6 hours to get this couch and a bed out of the condo. After thinking of about 20 different crazy solutions, my real estate agent recommended gotjunk.com. You can basically pay these guys to come pick up anything, and they charge based on the amount that your stuff takes up in the truck they bring. Now, mind you, this was not cheap ($150 later), but they came in about 45 minutes and I have never been so happy to pay for something in my entire life. I would recommend them if you ever are in a last minute ditch and need help.

I've been poking around today for something to feature, and I did find a site (a few weeks too late) for organic flowers. It's call Organic Bouquet and it donates proceeds from the sale of each bouquet to support non-profit organizations dedicated to social justice, wildlife conservation, animal rights, and environmental protection. They partner with some great organizations like the Red Cross, the Jane Goodall Institute, Heifer, Amnesty International, etc... It goes on and on. Check them all out here.

Plus I get to show some pretty flowers, which I kinda need to do after a tough day yesterday.

Inspiration in Paso Robles

2007-02-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a weekend of indulgence in Paso Robles. A belated b-day gift from my sweetie. We stayed at this amazing little B&B, The Canyon Villa, that had 4 rooms and the nicest owners. I would highly recommend this for your next wine tasting trip! At this B&B there was no TV, so needless to say, I devoured about 10 magazines in the course of the weekend. One of them was Oprah's Home Magazine for Winter 2006, which actually had an entire page devoted to Gifts that Give Back! Yipppeee! I immediately tore it out (sorry future guests!) and now I have a few postings worth of stuff to report on.

These blankets from a site called FunQuilts.com really caught my eye. Here's the description from the site:

Featured in TIME, The New York Times, and Country Living, these cozy blankies are a collaborative effort between FunQuilts and CARC, an organization that provides training and jobs for developmentally disabled adults in Chicago. Each blankie is made from two layers of 100% cotton flannel stitched together in a charming animal pattern. Stitching patterns include A Herd of Elephants, A Troop of Chimpanzees or A Pod of Dolphins. Your purchase of these blankies will provide meaningful employment to many hands. All colors and patterns are in stock for immediate delivery.

Here are two of my favorites. Btw, these are only $75 each, which I think a really reasonable price for a handmade gift that is as whimsical and functional as these are. Enjoy!

It's the end of Jan. and I have nothing to show for it

2007-01-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

What can I say about January 07. Practically nothing. I don't know about you all, but mine has been exceedingly boring.. And COLD. I am freezing all the time. I wear parkas in the house. Not fun. I am day dreaming of our next trip to my in-laws condo in Akumal, Mexico. My favorite place to be in the world. Ah.......

For all you new and old mommies out there, I found this cute site, PintSizeDiva.com that donates a portion of proceeds to First Candle/SIDS Alliance to help babies survive and thrive. They have a bunch of stuff on this site, from blankets to bibs to clothes. Check out this cute diaper bag. There's also some really unique bottle holders that I'm sure everyone's babies would love. My niece is due any day now, so I will definitely be coming back here to buy her a present...

2007

2007-01-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

Well this year has gotten off to a nice start. Absolutely nothing new to report here. In fact, I am seeing NOTHING new in my usual sources about charitable gift giving. I've got to do a bit more digging around...

Had a fabulous Xmas and New Years eating and drinking our way through NYC. Our bdays were fab as well. My brother and sister in law must have been peeping around on my site b/c for my birthday, they got me this necklace set from the Susan Komen Site! It's quite attractive on, and very professional!

One a side-note, and this will shock some of you (especially you Auntie L!), I actually cooked dinner TWICE last week and baked once! I think it was an all time record. I need some new simple recipes. If you have any good ones, pass them along to me. The husband gets so excited that it's fun to at least try. What about a great chicken recipe??? Anyone? Bueller?

Just for fun, here's a pic of my crazy pooches barking at me right before walk-time. No peace in my household, and we don't even have kids!!!!

Give Back

2006-12-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a whirlwind at the Klein household. We held our first Xmas Eve dinner and played UNO until 1am. I actually won! Which I can honestly say was the first time I have ever won anything in my entire life. I hope that bodes well for the new year. Since 2006 kinda sucked, I am hoping my UNO experience is a bit of foreshadowing for 2007. What are your resolutions? Here are mine:

1. Do Yoga twice a week, even though it's not politically correct to leave work in the middle of the day for two hours

2. Keep writing on this blog, even though no one really reads it

3. Actually practice what I preach-- give more. Give time, give money, just give

4. Smile more, enjoy more, love more, be nicer

5. Be more creative in all aspects of my life

So now that you've received hundreds of dollars worth of gifts that you didn't really want, why not treat yourself to something that you do actually want! My friend Elana over at Future Fashionista is having a site-wide 35% off sale until Jan1st. And as usual, she donates $1 off every purchase on her site to a charity of the month. This month the charity is, "My stuff bags Foundation." Thanks to Elana for inspiring me to write here again.

Why not buy yourself this adorable necklace?

We're off to NYC to celebrate New Years. I wish the best for everyone. Health, Happiness, and most importantly, FUN!

Bodanna.org

2006-12-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I am a bad charity blogger as I completely missed World AIDS Day on December 1st. I thought about posting that day, and then completely forgot. Decemeber is a whirlwind month with all the Holiday parties, Holiday shopping, New Years planning and mine and my hubbys bdays. I personally find it a bit overwhelming. Anyway, I am sure that I missed some opportunties to share with you products that would have benefited this worthy cause, but alas, I will try to be better. You can always purchase a product from Project Red, Bono's cause to support the AIDs epidemic.

My good friend T (go Bucks!) passed along this interesting site that Daily Candy featured, Bodanna.org a New York based non profit that donates 100% of its proceeds to helping inner city youth. They focus on the creative process of making pottery to develop youth creativity and work ethics. The site has a ton of beautiful bowls, vases, mugs, sushi sets and many more great ceramic pieces. I really like these piggy banks. Wouldn't they make a great Holiday gift for a little one?

By the way, don't forget to donate to your favorite charity before the year is over. Remember the tax break! And how great you will feel helping others! We'll be donating to DAWG -The Dog Adoption & Welfare Group and Marf.org - The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (in honor of my mom). Both of these are local charities here in Santa Barbara. Let me know who you are supporting.

First Moment of Peace

2006-11-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

LOOONG weekend, but fun weekend. I lived through Thanksgiving (barely). Then my friend T came up, and we got to spend some girl time together. Now it's Sunday, and I am counting down the hours that I have before having to go to work tomorrow.

I wanted to share with you all a GREAT blog that I often steal.. I mean borrow.. ideas from. It's called Shefinds.com and their blog often features gifts that give to charity! It's nice to find a site that has a similar sensibility so I check it often.

Last week they featured a t-shirt that benefits St. Jude hospital. I particularly like this bracelet that reminds me of a bracelet that a friend of mine from Look-Look used to have (Hi SF!). They also have a ton of other products that benefit the hospital including inspiration clothing, jewelry and more. Check their catalog out here.. Hope you all had a nice relaxing holiday weekend...

Product Red Web Site

2006-11-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hey there- If you happened to be bored at work, check out the official site for Bono's Product Red. There are some good products on this site that benefit this organization that helps those in Africa that are dying of AIDs. Need a new cell and sick of those stupid pink Razors? I do. I am going to buy this one:

There's also an Amex you can get which gives 1% of what you spend to the fund. Plus a bunch of other great gift ideas (a watch from Armani, some Chuck Taylor Shoes). Plus, since it's all RED, it sure fits in with the Holiday theme!

Happy Thanksgiving. We're hosting for 27. Should be madness, but a hoot.

1000 Visits and Counting!

2006-11-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally made it past the 1,000 visit mark. I would like to think that this is actually 1,000 people visiting my site, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it's mostly me, checking the site to see the count. And I think my friend KG does something with social bookmarking for me. But regardless, I'll go ahead and feel proud about it. It at least incentivizes me to keep going. I think I am supposed to comment on "similar" sites to get my traffic up, but the main problem is, there really aren't similar sites! Which is kind of a bummer. I really am going to try and practice what I preach this holiday season and buy some of my gifts through the sites that I've mentioned. And I hope that the few of you that are actually reading this blog do the same thing!

Anyway, while shopping for something to post about, I revisited the site stylebakery.com. They generally feature a few designers that donate (like my favorite Future Fashionista). I came across this site: Sweet Sky Jewelry. 10% of their proceeds go to one of three charities. Plus, the prices can not be beat ($40ish for most earrings). Great place to go holiday shopping!

How about this pair of earrings with your black New Years dress?

Future Fashionista

2006-11-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

So I was browsing through some of my favorite sites today for holiday ideas, and came across this snapshot of my site on Future Fashionista! This really made my day. Elana looks like she really beefed up the site and redesigned it. There are a ton of new unique jewerly items that would make awesome holiday gifts. Future Fashionista also donates $1 from every item sold on their website to their charity of the month.

Check out some of her awesome new stuff here. I particularly like the giraffe necklace. It reminds me of Africa. Which reminds me of Mom. I know my cousin likes the little heart necklace (that happens to be on sale!). I really dig all of it...

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. I can't believe how quickly October has gone by. I just back from a biz trip to NYC, and got my old favorite Magazine Marie Claire at the airport. I was VERY happy to see that their monthly feature of a cool product that donates to charity was back!

AND it's in partnership with Netaya, who features many of their products at great prices. This particular necklace is crafted of sterling silver and heavily plated in rich 18K yellow gold. The included box chain measures 18" in length.

Net proceeds, $5 per necklace, will benefit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the 24-hour, toll-free national number for victims of domestic abuse - which handles an average of 17,000 support calls per month. The necklace is only $29.95!

Get this for a friend for Xmas with intials of her and her hubby or her and her baby! It's super fun...I can't post a pic for some reason, so click on this link to see it....

Flake

2006-10-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

I sure have been flaky since getting back from India. I apologize in advance to those friends and family that I haven't called yet. I am still jetlagged if you can believe it, falling asleep at 9ish every night. And then this weekend I am off to NYC for a work meeting next week. It never ends!

On a lighter note, my bestie cousin told me about this cool site that features a pair of jeans that Frankie B created Her2Genes. These jeans benefit the testing for the Breast Cancer Gene. If I was a remotely stylish person, I would definitely invest in a pair of these. Frankie B donates $107 of the purchase price to HER2 Genes. They must be pricey, but hey, a good cause, so what the heck..

Gap.com: Red

2006-10-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hope all your week is moving along nicely. I've been slammed getting back up to speed after our India trip, but finally feel like I've got caught up work wise. Now I have to get moving cleaning up all my mom's business. I can't procastinate any more (although I'd like to...).

Anyway, I saw an ad in Vanity Fair last night about Gap's new product line called (Product Red). The whole line is dedicated to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund for Women and Children with AIDS in Africa. It was founded by Bono and Bobby Kennedy, so you can feel confident that this money will really get to the right people. The products come out on October 13th (Friday) and there is really some cool stuff. T-shirts, tanks, a jean jacket, a big red purse, bracelets and more. I'm going to have to support this cause and buy something. Especially after spending time in a thirld world country. These people need our help.

India

2006-10-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! I'm back. What a crazy trip. India is by far the most unique place I have ever travelled to. I can't even put it in words really.

We got home last night around 11am, and the first thing we did this morning was our favorite Sunday ritual -- reading the New York Times! That's where I saw Saks Fifth Avenue's latest ad. Apparantely, from October 12th to 15th, all Saks stores and saks.com will donate 2% of sales, (and Off 5th stores will donate 1% of sales up to $1 million) to benefit local and national women’s cancer charities.

So if you need any of that makeup that you can only get at Department Stores (Crem La Mer? Chanel Vamp Nail Polish?), why not buy it from Saks.com.

Support RAINN

2006-09-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week. I'm in and out of conferences and work dinners this week, and am off to India on Saturday, so lots going on. I can't believe this time next week, I'll be at the Taj Mahal! Bizarre.

So I've been meaning to feature some of the products from RAINN's site (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) as they have several products that I think would make nice presents, and it's such a great organization. How about this necklace for a friend who has been going through some tough times? They are also inexpensive. Only $20. I think they are twice or three times that at Nordies! And you could probably go to a craft store and get some different color leather ropes for the necklace part.

World Peace Now

2006-09-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

TGIF. I'm really looking forward to the weekend. Heading down to LA to visit with family (shout out to Auntie, Cuzin B) and my BFF. Taking the train which will be hilarious. Maybe I'll bring my camera so we can all laugh at my dorkiness.

So usually I don't feature things that are much more than 100 bucks, but I feel compelled to post this for anyone who has wads of cash to spend on jewerly that benefits UNICEF. And the message on this can't be beat. It is designed by Mary Margrill and is featured on the US Weekly site. See! US Weekly isn't all so bad...

Hey, and remember, please post your charity gift ideas or if you know of any friends who make products that donate to charity, please let me know. I am starting to get some traffic around here, and I want to see some COMMENTS!

Guadalajara

2006-09-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

If you aren't reading the My Cancer blog at NPR, you are truly missing something special. I'm obssessed with it, and read it every day. Here's a little info on him from the NPR site:

In May 2006, Leroy Sievers began a Morning Edition commentary on his fight with cancer by saying, "My doctors are trying to kill me." Sievers is now contributing monthly commentaries to Morning Edition, writing the daily "My Cancer" blog on NPR.org and voicing a weekly podcast.

I find Leroy's blog deeply inspiring. I also read the comments as many of the people who comment on his blog have extremely profound things to say and unfortunately have cancer themselves. Today, for example, someone with esophageal cancer posted the following quote which she uses to guide her day-to-day life with cancer:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Speaking of great moments, our Guadalajara trip:

Pink Lady Bug Designs

2006-09-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

It's 3pm, and it's the time of the day where I start really going downhill in terms of intelligence and engery level. This brings me to today's recommendation, and what I really need right now. CHOCOLATE! This month I'm focusing all around Breast Cancer, and this paritcular site, Pink Lady Bug Designs, donates to the The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), a breast cancer charity that guarantees that a minimum of 85% of all funds raised goes directly to researching the causes of and treatments for breast cancer.

Here's the description from the site. Enjoy!

This elegant one-half pound box, featuring seven dark chocolate lady bugs with raspberry cream filling and seven milk chocolate ribbons with caramel filling, is the perfect collection of fine chocolates for any celebration. Give the gift of chocolates to a friends and loved ones.

Warriors in Pink!

2006-09-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Back from our weekend in Gaudalajara! Fun times. Fun times. D, the in-laws and I saw the world famous Mariachi festival. Our luggage still hasn't arrived, but I'm secretly hoping it doesn't, so we can collect some mullah and buy some new duds for our India trip!

Meanwhile, last night while perusing through this month's Vanity Fair with Suri, I noticed that they have a whole section on Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I can't believe it's midway through September, and I haven't featured anything about this yet. Vanity Fair actually features some of the items that I've talked about, but also have some new ones that I'll post about during the course of this month.

Along the same lines, a few weeks ago, I had actually read about and bookmarked this cool site that Ford created where 100% of the net proceeds are donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I like the idea of men supporting women's causes, and I think the design of this shirt is pretty cool:

And so is this women's tank...

I'll post a few pics of our whirlwind trip manana. Adios, Amigos!

Charming Adoption

2006-09-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

So we are off to Guadalajara, Mexico with the in-laws for the next four days, and it inspired me to surf around this morning, trying to find gifts that perhaps could help Mexican Orphanages. While I wasn't able to find anything related to Mexico, I did come across this boutique site called Charming Adoption, which is a husband and wife team that makes very interesting jewerly that benefits Half The Sky, a foundation developed by Chinese and Western educators to enrich the lives and enhance the prospects for the babies and children still in China who are either waiting to be adopted or who will spend their childhood in orphanages. Having been in China last year, and hearing about all the baby girl's in orphanages, this is a great cause.

The necklaces and bracelets are truly unique and are a symbol of their "forever family" with their adopted daughter. Check out their story here.

My weekend...

2006-09-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. This is what I did this weekend. It pretty much says it all.

Cancer Sucks Man!

2006-09-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

Not that we all don't know this, but Cancer really sucks!! But on the bright side, through my new online community, I found this neat lady, who runs a blog called Much More than a Mom. Her father is currently battling cancer, so she was movitated to create a line of clothes that if we buy, they will match dollar for dollar in donations to cancer research and care. I just love the sentiment in these t-shirts. Check out the store. There are a ton of different styles for everyone. Help support those that still have a chance with this horrible disease. We have lost too many greats! Oh-- and have a great Holiday weekend...

Unicef - Great Gifts!

2006-08-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

Finding content for my blog isn't the easiest. It's surprising difficult to think of stores and/or charities that offer charitable gift giving, and that are truly legit. Oftentimes I'll cruise well known charities and see if they have a gift section. And most of the time, they don't and just feature a place to donate cash (not that that's a bad thing! Donate away!). That's what brings me to today's post about Unicef. Not only do they feature tons of gifts (for adults, kids, stationary), but they are actually gifts that I would really give to friends and family! For instance, check out this bag. Here's the description from the Unicef site:

This carry-all is made from natural jute and has a cotton lining, an interior pocket and cord ties. The design is traditionally screen printed and finished with pretty blue and green sequins and translucent beads. Made in Bangladesh as part of a community project which gives some 60 women the security of earning a living, feeding and educating their children, while creating the bags from home.

The best part? It's only $15! Anyone who knew my mom, would know that she would have loved this bag. She LOVED elephants. I think my best friend Dani would like this too. It reminds me of all of her travels... I'm sensing a Holiday Gift in the making. I'll definitely be checking out Unicef in the future for gifts....

Doggy Lovers Unite!

2006-08-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! Hope you are all having a nice week. I've been a single dog mom the last few days, hanging out with my basset baby Emma and was inspired to write today's blog all about Doggies! Look how cute she is!

So at the Big Dog Festival a few months ago, we saw the cutest basset, named Otis, who was rescued by Much Love Animal Rescue, in Los Angeles. He got adopted by a local family here, who have had a bit of difficulty adjusting to the rather unique basset traits (needy, food oriented, super loving). We're hoping he gets to stay at his new home, so that the cutie doesn't have to get rehomed... I'd be very tempted to take him in, if that ends up happening. Anyway, thinking about Otis inspired me to go on the Rescue's site and see if they have any cute products that help support their efforts.

Check out this adorable necklace! It was actually designed by Tori Spelling who is very active in this particular rescue. For those of you who have cash to burn, they have it in diamonds for a cool $350 . But for those of us who want a cheaper version, they do have a sterling silver one for $60 with pink or white crystals... So cute, right? For some odd reason, I can't upload the pic, so click on the link to see it.

Patagonia Forever

2006-08-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hope your week is going nicely. Mine is chugging along pretty well. We just booked our tickets to India for late September, so now are frantically making reservations. If any of you have been to India (Northern), please drop me an email with suggestions!

Ok back to the blog. I know most of you have heard of Patagonia. They are actually based out of here, just a bit South of us in Ventura, CA. Patagonia is extremely philanthropic, giving 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. Got to love that. Here are the details on all their environmental activitism.

As most of you know, Danny and I buy a ton of stuff from them, including all of our luggage! They have a lifetime guarantee on everything too, so if you buy one of their stylish down jackets, and the zipper breaks, they will fix it for free! Same with the luggage! And the best part, if they can't fix it, they will REPLACE it! Plus it's all very fashionable these days. I have a green jacket that looks just like a Marc Jacobs. I wear it ALL the time. Check out this down vest for fall. Match it with your favorite jeans, and head off to NYC! Aw.. a girl can dream, can't she?

Polo Pink Pony

2006-08-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Did y'all have a nice weekend!? We had an action packed one here in SB. We had our friends Carey and Brian up on Saturday- Sunday, with their adorable baby Chase. Then on Sunday, we were lucky enough to see our cousin, Gaby, play in a soccer tourney! Then the whole clan came back to Casa Klein for burgers and hot dogs. We had a great time... Today I also bought my sister-in-law a gift off the Susan Komen Foundation site. I'll let it be a secret until she gets it, but I certainly am using my own blog! It really makes gift giving easier when you've thought ahead about good charitable ideas..

Anyway, today I am focusing on the Pink Pony line from Polo! 10% of proceeds support programs for early diagnosis, education, treatment and research for cancer. The fund is dedicated to bringing patient navigation and quality cancer care to medically underserved communities. AND the stuff is cute! This shirt is one of the more affordable ones. If you're feeling like Melinda Gates, there are some beautiful cashmere sweaters . I've always loved the pony...

Fund Mammograms!

2006-08-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. I hope your week is going ok... I need your help! Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman.

It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window in the middle). This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

AGAIN, PLEASE TELL 10 FRIENDS TO TELL 10 TODAY

Then after you have clicked on the "donate a mammogram" link, then why not buy these adorable Diva Magnets? They also fund mammograms and are adorable. There is a whole line of these Diva Magnets. I'm sensing some future Xmas presents for the Diva's in the Klein/Lemkin family.

Sale at Presentsforpurpose.com

2006-08-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hi there-- Hope you all had a nice relaxing weekend. We sure did. It was a beautiful weekend here in SB. We were sorry to miss our favorite Auntie and Cousin Brian, as Bri was sick, but we hope to see them soon!!!

I came across a really great end of Summer sale at Presentsforpurpose.com. This adorable necklace is on sale for $47, and 25% of the proceeds of all merchandise sold on this site goes to charity. Here's a list of their chairties. 25% of proceeds is a large amount to give, and it really makes me want to purchase many of my future gifts from them... What do you think of this necklace? Someone, please buy it for me! Ha.. Just kidding... Sort of.. ;-)

Happy Monday.

EchoSign - Save Paper!

2006-08-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

Hi there- While today's post isn't necessarily a "traditional" gift idea, it really is a gift we can all give to the enviornment! EchoSign is actually a company that my ingenious brother founded. At its core, EchoSign is the easiest and fastest way to get a document signed. With EchoSign, you have unlimited document exchange, execution and tracking accessible anytime from anywhere. Now how does this give a gift to the enviornment?

Well, according to the Environmental Defense’s forumla, an average size corporation, merely by using EchoSign for 1% of its paperwork, could save over 10,000 pounds of copy paper annually and save over 100 tons of greenhouse gases. According to Environmental Defense, over 4.6 million tons of copy paper alone are shipped each year, generating greenhouse emissions equivalent to over 2,000,000 automobiles.

So in addition to saving not only time, money, and the frustration that comes with dealing with paperwork, you can also save as much as 10 tons of solid waste and 100 tons of greenhouse emissions per company per year (source: Environmental Defense).

Pretty cool, eh? So please, try sending your insertion orders, human resource documents, contracts, and much more through EchoSign. Oh, and did I mention it's FREE to try!?

Kitty Lovers Unite!

2006-08-09T10:10:00.000-07:00

Hello! I hope you are enjoying my site and my gift ideas! If you look to the right, you can see that I added a Meebo IM box. You can contact me at any time by typing in a note. It goes straight to my IM which I pretty much have on all day. Isn't that cool?

Anyway, I was surfing around a ring of sites that all seemingly contribute to charity. There's a Hunger Site, Breast Cancer Site, Child Health Site, Literacy Site, Rainforest Site and Animal Rescue Site -- all of them feature a ton of gifts that have various charitable elements. I can't be 100% sure this isn't some sort of affiliate marketing scam, BUT regardless, since I'm in affiliate marketing, I can just hope that these guys actually do what they say they do. I found this particular pair of salt and pepper shakers that I will definitely buy for Big Grandma for Xmas. Anyone that knows Big Grandma, knows that she loves her kitties! And I know the Mimster loves her kitties too.....Wouldn't these look cute in her San Fran apt? The Animal Rescue site says it will donate 14 bowls of food for animals living in shelters if you buy these cute guys....

Presentsforpurpose.com

2006-08-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hi all. I hope you are having a nice week. It's Fiesta here in Santa Barbara, and Danny and I have been enjoying the festivities. We're off to the Mariachi festival tomorrow at the SB Bowl...

Surfing the web this fine Friday, I came across this VERY cool site which donates 25% of their proceeds to chariable organizations, www.presentsforpurpose.com. It has a wide variety of gifts-- for men, women, children, etc. I particularly like this cute fashion watch. There's about 30 others in different colors and prices. This one is only $65. Perfect for your best friend's bday or for your favorite Auntie. :-)

I know I'll be going here for my next bday gift. Have a great weekend!

Make a Wish Foundation

2006-07-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday. I've been struggling to find cute kids gifts that have a charitable element, until I read in the SB News Press about a particular cancer surviving teen who is the inspiration behind this "rock star" doll at the Make A Wish Foundation.

A full $1 out of the $10 goes to the Foundation. And why not buy 3 or 4 of these dolls for a baby shower gift? There's a police officer, a cowboy and a princess! I also found this great Putumayo Kids CD.

Future Fashionista Charity

2006-07-27T11:43:00.000-07:00

Since I'm on a necklace binge, you have to check out this adorable necklace. For all you animal lovers out there (and former Kappa Kappa Gammas- Juli!), $10 from this necklace benefits Two Left Paws Animal Sanctuary of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I know, not a normal place you'd visit, but why not donate when you buy gifts like this? Those folks at the Animal Sanctuary will be thrilled with some West Coast love... Back to work.

Future Fashionista Charity Link

This Week

2006-07-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I hope you guys are enjoying my blog. I'm sure having fun writing it!

This week, I've really practiced what I've preached (sorry Danny!). I bought a book on Giveline.com (The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards) and I got to donate nearly $5 to the American Cancer Society. And then I just HAD to buy the tree necklace below, which of course donates $5 to refugees. I didn't realize it when I posted it, but the leather part is actually brown. How cool is that? I'll let you know how cute the necklace is when I receive it.

So please remember for your upcoming wedding gifts, baby gifts, etc. to check out my site for cute ideas!

Help Female Survivors of War

2006-07-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

Wow-- what a cute necklace! I just discovered this while showing my brother-in-law the Marie Claire Shop for Charity site. Someone must buy this! 20% of the sale of this necklace goes to Women for Women International, to support women in Iraq, Afghanistan, Rwanda and other places of conflict.

Marie Claire Shop for Charity

Tom's Shoes

2006-07-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

Do you have a friend with a summer bday? Please check out TOMS shoes. They are adorable-- sort of espadrille-like, and for every pair you buy, he donates a pair to children living in poverty. What a great concept, eh? AND they are adorable shoes... He makes them for men and women. I'm partial to this pair. He also has a myspace profile too. Check out his site here www.tomshoes.com


















Link

Marf.org

2006-07-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Unfortunately my mom passed away last night from a rare form of cancer-- mesothelioma, which is asbestos-related. In lieu of any food or flowers, please donate to the Marf Organization to help with possible cures for this deadly disease. There's also those cool bracelets and even a t-shirt if you'd rather purchase a gift.

Donate to Marf.org

Much love.

Wedding Channel Charity Donation Program

2006-07-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

I went to a fabuluous wedding last night at a winery in Malibu. What a great location. We had so much fun hanging out with Suzanne and Max and being a part of Becca and Scott's wedding. Speaking of weddings... If you know of anyone recently engaged, please pass along the Wedding Channel's charity donation program. They make a donation to the charity of the bride/grooms' choice every time someone uses Wedding Channel to purchase a gift on their registeries... What a great idea!

WeddingChannel.com Charity Donation Program

Technorati Post

2006-07-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Technorati Profile

This is to prove this is my blog!

Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation

2006-07-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! The Susan G. Komen Foundation sure has some cute stuff for gift giving.

Susan G. Komen Gift Shop

My personal favorite is this adorable pink robe, which would make a great bday, holiday or even a new mommy gift. Danny bought me a similar one for the holidays and I LOVE it. Thie one has cute stitching for breast cancer awareness.

And what about this classic cookbook as a Engagement Gift!?

I hope you have a great weekend. Don't forget how good it feels to give back!

Young Survivor Coalition

2006-07-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

Me again. A friend of a friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer at the young age of 35, and I came upon this great resource for young survivors as well as cute merchandise that donates to this special organization.

Young Survivor Coalition

How about this as your next baby gift?

Books, Music and More: Giveline.com

2006-07-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

This very cool site was created by friends of ours (Hi Brett and Joelle) . If you are going to buy books, music, dvds, etc., buy it from here, NOT Amazon! When you check out, you get to choose a charity to donate to. Books and Music are GREAT gifts!

Giveline Store

<--------Who wouldn't want to get the DVD of Felicity as a birthday gift?

Netaya.com

2006-07-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

This site, Netaya.com, generally features a few pieces of jewerly that are reasonably priced and donate to worthy charities. Their current pickens are slim, but this bracelet, with is also featured on Marie Claire's charity site, is cute for the summer:

Marie Claire Shop for Charity

2006-07-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

What got me really going on this idea is the section in Marie Claire magazine that always has a cool gift that dontats to charity. You can see the whole site here:

Marie Claire Shop for Charity

I bought the cute locket for Dani-girl for her bday after reading about how this benefits the World Hunger Organization.

Check out all of Marie Claire's latest charitable gifts!

Welcome!

2006-07-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hello and Welcome to my new blog!

I created this blog as a resource for all my friends who would like to "Give as they Give." Meaning, we all buy each other so many gifts for weddings, birthdays, baby showers, holidays, etc., and it dawned on me that if my friends knew how to find stores and products that gave a portion of their proceeds to charity, that most of us would opt for that. Don't we all want to do our small part? Especially when you don't have to sacrfice fun gift giving in the process!

So for the past few months I have made great efforts to couple the presents I buy with a charitable element. I plan to link to them here, and to also ask for others to post legitimate sites that give to charity...

Happy Shopping and feel free to pass this along!

Take care,
-Beth