Water - Compassion for Life

There are some mornings I get up and pour a glass of water and the second I taste it, it's like heaven. It is so good and refreshing.

After I spend the day at the beach and I feel gritty from the sand and sticky from sunscreen and salt water, I love to come home and take a shower. I feel like a new person.

But what if I couldn't do those thing? What if I had to worry about disease every time I drank water or bathed or got in the gulf water? What if those luxuries didn't exist for me?

The reality is that millions of people don't have those luxuries and die daily from water that is contaminated and diseased.

The good news is you can help. For a dontion of $55 you could provide a family with clean water for life by providing them with a water filter. Check out the web site for more information.

Compassion International's Water of Life
Web Site: www.compassion.com/klove

Compassion for Life also helps in Disaster Relief. visit http://www.compassionforlife.com/ for more information

World Vision

What an amazing organization. Through World Vision you can sponser a child, a family or make purchases from their catalog like $35 to provide medicine or a goat and 2 chickens for $100 (which will provide eggs and milk for a family) or $25 for two chickens which will provide eggs. The list goes on and on.

Please visit the web site and donate or sponser and make a difference in many lives - possibly even help save a life.

http://www.worldvision.org/

Click to Give - Update - Autism

Click to give has added Autism to their website!

It's FREE - visit every day and click on the box and the sponsers donate to the cause.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=11&link=ctg_aut_home_from_trs_thankyou_sitenav

The Lakeview Center

This past weekend I went to Olive Baptist Church to listen to Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock played her in the movie "The Blind Side") talk about Lakeview Center and the importance of giving and helping one another. I couldn't agree more.

The Lakeview Center is through Baptist Healthcare and it's an organization "Helping People Overcome Life's Challenges." They help by providing couseling, drug and alcohol services, and have a crisis hotline. My brother worked the hotline 23 years ago...they've been helping people for a long time.

Look for a place like this in your community and see how you can help them to help others.

P.S. Me and Leigh Anne Tuohy

April: Donate Art

I hear a lot of people say, "I don't have an artistic bone in my body." I disagree. I think there is some form of art everyone is blessed with; drawing, painting, making scrapbooks, decorating, baking, etc.
What is considered art? Any and everything, it just depends on who is looking at it and how they're looking at it. So the next time you see a request to donate your art for charity, give it a try.

If you want to try drawing or painting I would suggest picking up any art book by Lee Hammond. I credit her with taking my art from ok to really good.
My 20 year reunion is coming up so I offered to donate a painting. I have also donated art work to raise money for an animal shelter.

I would love to display a few pieces, but my server has been a pain lately and I am not able to upload at this time, but I will keep working on it.

Now it's your turn to take that talent you've been given and put it to use to help others.

Lauren's Kids

As I type this a group of men, women and children are walking through Gulf Breeze, FL bringing awareness, education, and support and guidance to people who have been (are) victims of sexual abuse.

They are a bringing hope to those who feel hopeless.

Visit their web site and see how you can help.

http://www.laurenskids.org/
 

Finding Ways to Help

I know sometimes it may seem difficult to find places to volunteer at or donate to. I have run into this problem myself, but I have found several ways to find places that need help.

• Look for flyers. They can be found on bullentin boards, in fitness clubs, at the grocery store, etc.
• Ask around
• Look in the newspaper
• Look for vehicles that have charity information on them
• Internet searches
• Drive or walk around and look for buildings/offices that house charitable organizations
• Inquire at churches
• Go to a place you enjoy to visit (i.e.the zoo) and ask if they accept volunteers

Other Ways to Give - 3

21. Sign Petitions
22. Tell others about charities that mean something to you; spread the word
23. Start a recycling program at your work
24. Hand write a letter to your parents and snail mail it. It's always nice to get something in the mail other than bills.
25. Donate preemie items (blankets, hats, clothes...) to your local hospital
26. Send flowers to someone
27. Listen to an elder talk of their younger years. They'll enjoy the memories and you'll learn something.
28. Read to your children at night
29. Try to be more open minded, seeing all sides of a situation
30. Donate to your local grocery store's sponsered charity. Sometimes it's giving a dollar at the register, other times it's buying a meal for a hungry family.

March: Prom

I feel terrible, I am late in posting March's charity. I'm sorry.

Here it is: Prom

Prom season is here and there are so many young ladies who would love to go, but can't afford a dress.

Now is a great time to go through your closet and donate a cocktail/evening dress you don't wear anymore or a bridesmaid dress you'll never slip into again. Help make the prom possible for a young lady.

Part of the reason I am late in posting this is because I struggled to find a place that accepted and gave away prom dresses. I am still searching. With that said, check your local high schools (I am in the process of doing that) and see if they have something set up for those less fortunate. A local dry cleaner where I live used to give away donated or left behind dresses for prom. See if a friend of your child needs a dress. Ask around and make the dream of prom come true.

(I will keep looking for places to donate dresses and will update this blog as I find them.)

Locks of Love

A couple of years ago I donated 10" of hair to Locks of Love. Today I donated another 10" of hair.

I have watched several people in my family lose their hair as they battled cancer. I am not a scientist, doctor, or nurse, but I have been blessed with a lot of hair and this is one way I can help - help someone feel a little better during their struggle.

I can't find my before and after photos but I will update the blog when I find them.

Please visit http://www.locksoflove.org/donate.html to find out how you can donate your hair or if you would rather give a cash gift (that information is on there as well).

Thank you!

"Secret Millionaire"

Have you seen the show? It comes on Monday nights 8/7c on ABC.

In case you haven't seen it; it's about millionaires that live in some of the poorest areas of certain cities/towns for one week. During that week they are not allowed to bring any money with them. They and are given the equivilant of what welfare would give a single man/woman to live on for one week. They are to go out (without revealing their wealth) and find people in the community that are making a difference, volunteer with them and find out what they're doing to make a difference in their community. After the week is up they decide how much (of their own money) they want to donate and to whom.

I cry every time I watch this show.

A young man's father was shot 6 times and he watched as his father died in his mother's arm on the stoop off the sidewalk. He was a young child at the time. No one saw anything. He is now part of a neighborhood patroll to keep this from happening to someone else.
A set of 80+ year old twins opened Love Kitchen to feed the homeless. They go to work there every day.
A man who gets chemo/radiation  treatments for cancer quit his job as a limo driver and started a charity to drive people to and from their chemo/radiation treatments because he couldn't bear to wach people sitting in the lobby for hours after their treatment because they had no one to bring them home.
A woman started decorating rooms for children with terminal diseases because 7 years ago she heard a little girl had the choice of having her room redone or going to Disney. The little girl couldn't decide so the lady said she would decorate the room for her and she could go to Disney. She's been creating dream rooms for children ever since (using donated furniture).
The list goes on...

What I get out of it:
- It shows that you don't have to have money to make a difference. All you need is some time and love
- I appreciate what I have, where I live, my health, my friends and family
- It reminds me that there are so many forgotten or given up on people out there and all they want is for someone to care
- That I can make a difference - everyone can make a difference
- All I have to do is ask and I will find someone in need
- There are many programs out there to help people that I've never heard of but can easliy find if I just look
- Warmth in my heart when I see the people's faces and reactions and tears when they're given money to help their cause

I'm not a big fan of reality shows, but this is one of the best I've ever seen.

Click to Give - FREE - UPDATE

Click to Give has added a new tab! They have added Veterans to their list. They have also changed their web site slightly. If you look above the solid line at the top of the page you will see (in light gray as opposed to solid tabs - just click on them and it'll take you to the desired page): 

Breast Cancer

Animal Rescue

Veterans

Child Health

Literacy

Rainforest

Click every day - it's Free! (one click per day per support group)

Food for a Friend

It is common to bring meals to those who have just given birth or lost a loved one, but what about when other situations arise that are stressful? Could we do the same for someone in those situations? 

I bring this up because a friend of mine showed incredible kindness and thoughtfulness and was an excellent example to all of us.

Another friend of mine lost her job and was distraught - and reasonably so. She sent out an email asking for prayers. I, like many others, sent her a response letting her know I would be praying for her and if I heard of any available jobs I would pass along the information. My response was thoughtful and came from the heart.

But one of our friends took it a step further. She went to the store and bought a bottle of wine, an already cooked chicken, already made macaroni and cheese (for our friend's son) and some flowers and drove to her house (the day she lost her job) and brought her and her son dinner. What a load off our friend's mind to not have to worry about that!

What are some other situations where you could bring a meal to someone to take one less worry off their mind?

* breakup *  sick child * sick * new job * loss of a pet * new home * broken bone * car accident...

Other Ways To Give - 2

11. Donate magazines to nursing homes
12. Donate old towels and blankets to animal shelters
13. Volunteer to read to children at your local library
14. Donate books to your local library/library book store
15. Say "I love you"
16. Volunteer at a hospital
17. Pick up trash you see on the ground and throw it away
18. Participate in cancer walks
19. Donate blankets to homeless shelters
20. Participate in Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Click to Give - FREE

What would you do if you could help feed animals, save a piece of rain forest, feed the hungry, help with literacy, care for children's health, and help the fight against breast cancer every day and it didn't cost you a cent? Could you?
You can! Make a habit of going to the web site www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive every day and click on the box that says Click Here To Give - It's FREE (you can only click once a day).
Then go to the next tab on the site, Rainforest, and repeat. Continue until you've clicked on every tab and you will have made a difference with just the click of your mouse. With every click the sponsers of that charity make donations - food, books, money, land...
It only takes a minute to make a difference.

Help the Homeless

How many times have you been stopped at a red light and seen a homeless person holding a sign asking for help? It happens more than we care to admit. I know, from comments I have heard, that a lot of people don't like to give them money, but that doesn't mean you can't help them. You can give them a care bag.
A care bag is a sandwich bag or average size gift bag filled with every day items that everyone needs. Keep a couple in your car and the next time you see a homeless person on the street give them one.

Suggested items to include:
Soap       Toothbrush         Toothpaste       Comb or Brush        Socks         Bottled Water
Food item (granola bars, crackers, etc. *check experation date)           Shampoo
Deoderant        A note or card of encouragement

***Keep a box of dog biscuits on hand to give to them if they have a pet with them.***

February - Preemie Hats (Crochet)

Children are born premature every day and it is vital that their heads stay warm. This is your chance to help save a life.
These hats can be donated to hospitals and currently to Caps for Good (until February 28, 2011). You can visit the Caps for Good web site for more details and to download a Caps For Good Action Kit. http://www.goodgoes.org/caps#&slider1=3

We'll start with a basic hat pattern and then toward the end of the pattern I will provide two variations.
Needle size H-8

Row 1
Ch 4, 11 dc in 4th ch from the hook; sl st at top of beg chain to join; count is 12 dc

Row 2
Ch 3, dc in joining ch;2 dc in each dc around, join; count is 24dc
Row 3
Ch 3, dc in joining ch; *dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc; repeat from * around, join; count is 32 dc

Rows 4 - 10
Ch 3, dc in each dc around; join

*Variation 1*
Row 11
Sc in each dc around; join
Row 12
Ch 1, sc in 1st sc, * ch 2, picot, ch 2, skip next 4 sc, sc in next sc; repeat from *, last 2 sc, slip stitch to finish

Unfolded

  Folded

*Variation 2*
Row 11
Ch 3, picot the ch 3, sc in next dc, *picot, sc in next dc; repeat from *, sc in last dc
Row 12
Ch 4, sc in next sc, *ch 4, sc in next sc; repeat from * around, slip stitch to finish

Unfolded

   Folded

Other Ways to Give - 1

1. Pray for one another.
2. Listen more than you talk.
3. Look a person in the eyes when they're talking to you. It shows you're listening.
4. Everyone is different. Try to be understanding and compassionate when someone is going through hard times and difficult situations.
5. Hold the door open for someone.
6. Volunteer to serve at a food bank.
7. Buy canned or non perishable food items and donate them to your local food bank. Some stores have Buy One Get One Free Deals or 10 for $10 can goods deals.
8. Donate gently used clothes and household items to Good Will or to a shelter.
9. Help an elderly neighbor by mowing and weeding their yard.
10. Babysit a friend's child for free so they can enjoy a day or night out.

Welcome

Welcome to "Create to Donate!"
I've created this blog as a way to pay it forward and help those in need.
Every month I decide on a charity to donate to. I have crocheted preemie caps, cancer caps, scarves, blankets, and more and donated them to shelters, groups, and any person or animal in need. Now I would like your help to grow in the plight to help one another. I know as the economy slowly gets back on her feet people are still struggling and giving to them is a way of providing hope and love (for both you and them). Even if you don't have a lot of money you can still "create to donate." A skein of yarn costs less than $4 and can make several preemie caps - can save several lives, a pillow case at the dollar store costs a $1 and can be turned into a dress for a little girl who has few clothes, or old socks can be turned into sock monkey's for a little child.
I will provide instructions for each project and give suggestions as to where the items can be donated.
I will also, from time to time, be providing an ongoing list of ways to help others, no money required.
I hope you join me!

This month I'm crocheting preemie caps - instructions and photos to come shortly.