CAN you help people in Boston this Thanksgiving? YES!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It's a time to share what you are thankful for-- your family, friends, a roof over your shoulder, clothes on your back & the simplicities of life. Thanksgiving is also a time to give back & show others you care. There are plenty of ways to help people in Boston this November.

One way to donate canned goods at Boston University as part of the Great BU Can-Off this week. There are several drop off locations all throughout the BU campus, right in the heart of Boston. Help the campus reach their goal of 1,000 cans for those in need this holiday season! (Personally, as an active member of the Community Service Center, I recommend donating the cans to the Community Service Center on the 4th floor of the George Sherman Union at 775 Commonwealth Ave. It is a competition after all--:)-- but any of the locations at BU will do.) Helping others is all that matters.

Boston Can Share is an annual food drive sponsored by Mayor Menino, the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Hunger, FedEx and The Greater Boston Food Bank. Now in its 24th year, the Boston Can Share pairs with office suites & business through the city as drop off locations for people to donate canned foods during the month of November. At the end of November, the donated food collected by the Boston Can Share is transported by Fedex to the Greater Boston Food Bank, which serves as a distribution center to nearly 100 food pantries, emergency meal programs & shelters in Boston. During November, donate:

• Proteins such as canned tuna fish, salmon, chicken, turkey, beef stew, canned nuts, peanut butter & canned meats
• Canned beans and peas
• Canned fruits and vegetables, juices & dried fruits w/ no added sugar
• Milk either evaporated or powdered
• Pasta, oatmeal, & canned soups
• Non-perishable food
• Dry packaging & canned foods

The Food Bank is unable to distribute baby food, baby formula or food in class containers collected through food drives.

Need a pie for Thanksgiving? Purchase your Thanksgiving pies through Community Serving's Pie in the Sky. This Thanksgiving, buy a delicious apple, pecan, pumpkin or sweet potato pie & pick it up Wed, November 24 (the day before Thanksgiving) at 45 locations in the Greater Boston area. For $25, the cost of a single pie, Community Servings will be able to provide a week's worth of free, home-delivered meals to a man, woman or child who is battling a critical illness such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes or MS. Here is the order form for the yummy pies.

On Thanksgiving Day, you can participate in the Boston Volvo 5K Road Race in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. By participating in the Volvo 5K Road Race provides help through education, support, advocacy & research funded by the National MS Society, Greater New England Chapter. This makes a huge difference to the 19,000 people and their families in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont-- and the 400,000 people nationwide-- who must live with MS every day of their lives. You can register before November 22 for $20 or register on-site of the race at Boston Volvo, 75 North Beacon St., Brighton, MA. There will be prizes for the top finishers.

Another way to help include inviting someone who doesn't have a place to go this Thanksgiving or can't afford to have Thanksgiving with their family who lives far away, to your Thanksgiving table. The more, the merrier! :)

Do you know of any other ways to help this Thanksgiving?

Look on each day like it's a canvas...

Be positive.

It's that easy. Okay, maybe it's not transforming someone's life or changing the world-- but it can make a huge difference. If you have a positive outlook on how your day is going to go, your positive energy will be contagious. I promise. Try it. Take the example of Jessica...







"My whole house is great. I can do anything good. I like my school. I like anything. I like my dad. I like my cousins. I like my aunts. I like my Allisons. I like my moms. I like my sisters. ... I like my hair. I like my haircuts. I like my pajamas. I like my stuff. I like my room. I like my whole house. My whole house is great. I can do anything good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I can do anything good, better than anyone!" --Jessica




Everyone has bad days. But if you can look on the bright side of things and inspire yourself to see the good things in life, people will feed off your energy. Whether it's telling your roommate they look good, smiling at the bus driver or calling someone and letting them know you appreciate them, you have the power to make yourself and others feel great about life.


Wake up tomorrow and face the day with a positive outlook. Tell me how it goes! I want to know how people react to you or how much better your day went!

Veterans Day!

This Thursday is a very special day for two reasons.

1. It's my BIRTHDAY!! :) (I am finally turning 20. Took me long enough)

2. More importantly, November 11 is Veterans Day.

Maybe you are asking your self: Why is Veterans Day important? The answer is simple: Why isn't Veterans Day important?

It's not just a day on the calendar, but a day to remember, and be reminded of just how important our freedom is. Veterans Day is about all the brave men and women who keep our freedoms alive and strong. It's not about wars, past or present, or our opinions on them. Many soldiers may have the same opinion as many other citizens, but they serve, fight, and sometimes die, regardless of their political opinions.Veterans sacrificed their lives so you and I didn't have to. They answered the call so you and I could be free. This is such a brave and noble thing, and Veterans Day reminds us of this.

How can you show your support?

Know a veteran? Chances are someone in your family or someone you know has fought for our country. Call them and let them know you appreciate them.

In Boston, Vetrans Day will be celebrated in lots of different ways. Come out and show your support.

Gold Star families will join military and political leaders in Memorial Hall at the Statehouse on Thursday morning for the state's annual Veterans Day ceremony.


City of Boston Veterans Day Parade will start on the corner of Charles and Beacon Street and wind up at City Hall Plaza.

In other parts of MA:


The town of Middleborough will hold it's annual American Flag retirement ceremony.

Springfield Technical Community College is currently hosting an art show through Friday, Nov. 19 featuring works by veterans.

Another way to show your support is through Operation Gratitude.


*Write letters to veterans thanking them for all they did for our country. It may be long overdue-- but veterans will appreciate your kind words. You can also write to currently deployed service men, who are fighting as we speak for our freedom. Letters can make a big difference.


Look at this response from a veteran who received a handwritten letter:


"When I opened your envelope today and read your letter and the 3 others you have sent me, I was profoundly moved.  Through the years since I returned home, I have had people, from time to time, thank me for my service.  But this is the first time I have received letters sent from the heart by people who have no idea who I am.  Only the fact that I served.  With each one I read, I could feel the emotions welling up inside and when I finished the last one, I was filled to bursting with pride, love for my country, and love for my people.  Please accept my thanks for your thoughtfulness and caring.  I never thought letters like this could have such an effect.  You have given me a gift I will carry in my heart always. Sincerely, RM2 P.R. USCG"

Thank you Veterans and soldiers currently fighting for our country! We greatly appreciate you--not just on November 11, but every day of the year.

E-Cards

Thank goodness it is Friday. Wow, what a week. With midterms, work, volunteering and interning, I barely had time to sit down and breathe.

Something I received in an email this week, however, made me smile and got me through the chaos of what were a hectic five days: an e-card. One of my very good friends, who I had not talked in a few weeks, sent me an e-card telling me she was thinking of me. The message was not long at all, but the thought behind the message really made a difference:

"Amey, I miss you and just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you. Good luck with everything! Love you!"

This got me thinking. How hard it is to fill out a small message and send off an e-card to someone you love? Whether it's their birthday, a holiday or just a random Wednesday, it doesn't take more than five minutes to send wonderful thoughts someone's way.

Right here in Boston, there are several places, like non-profits and museums that offer e-cards to send to your family, friends, boss or anyone else I haven't mentioned. 

Museum of Fine Arts has beautiful e-cards you can send to people. Some of them display beautiful paintings, while others show off some of the beautiful sculptures. I love the MFA and if you haven't been, you should definitely visit. (For those Boston University students, like me, admission is free for you-- so you should definitely consider visiting!)

I intern at The Home for Little Wanderers, the nation's largest child and family service agency whose administrative office is headquartered in Boston. This organization has adorable e-cards creatively designed by the kids in their programs. The Home helps thousands of children and families each year. By sending an e-card, not only will you be brightening someone's day, but you will be spreading awareness about The Home's mission.

Children's Hospital Boston also offers e-cards, two for this holiday season. By making a donation, you can send these e-cards to anyone you'd like and wish them a happy holiday season. They are so cute and by sending them will benefit Children's Hospital of Boston.

Okay, this may not be a place in Boston (but look at that face!). You can send Boston Terrier e-cards. They are so adorable and very Boston-y!

Here is a list of cool sites that offer free e-cards:

E-Cards from American Greetings

E-Greetings.com: Make Their Day

Care2.com E-Cards

I plan on sending one back to my friend and some people I've been neglecting to talk to due to my busy schedule. I want them to know I haven't forgotten them!

Have you received an e-card recently? Tell me about why it made your day.

Come On, Boston! Go Green Without Even Leaving Your House.

"Going Green" may seem like an overused phrase-- that you and I have probably heard a thousand times: Recycle, Don't Waste Water, blah blah blah. But here are some things you can do without even leaving your home and apartment that you may not have thought about that can drastically impact the environment.

If every household in the United States replaced one regular lightbulb with one of those new compact florescent lightbulbs, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road. If you are like me, and don't like the color of the light, replace the bulbs in places like closets, laundry rooms, or other places where you spend less time, so it won't bother you as much. See how much money you could be saving and how many people in MA have jumped on the changing lightbulb train.

Instead of leaving your computer on sleep mode or on all night, turn your computer when you go to bed at night. This can save 40 watt-hours per day, which adds up to 4 cents a day or $14 a year. Don't want to wait up for the computer in the morning? Turn it on while you are making your coffee or getting dressed in the morning.

Use both sides of papers when writing things down. What's neat about paper is that is has two sides! Just because one side is used, does not mean the paper needs to be thrown away. Another good tip is to use old notebooks that haven't been all the way used up or have just been lying around your house for a while. When using your printer, set it to print double-sided. It may seem small-- but this can make a huge difference. American businesses alone throw away 21 million tons of paper every year, equal to 175 pounds per office per worker. Save a tree-- use both sides of the paper and recycle when you are done.

Wrap creatively. The holidays are coming up (Scary, huh?.... Time flies). Instead of going out and buying new gift wrap, reuse old gift bags, bows, or ribbons. Or use your creative noggin and use old newspaper, cloths, maps, or paper bags to wrap your gifts. One of my favorite things to do as a child was take paper bags, turn them inside out, decorate the bag with stamps and paint and wrap my parent's Christmas gift. This will add a personal touch to your gifts-- plus as a bonus your helping save the environment.

When you go grocery shopping, use reusable bags. Each year, the US uses 84 billion plastic bags, a significant amount of the 500 billion used worldwide. By using reusable bags, you can benefit too. WholeFoods will give you .05-.10 off, depending on the location, for every bag used. (They don't have to be WholeFood bags to qualify either). CVS will give you $1.00 Extra Care Buck every 4th visit when you purchase a Green Tag for your reusable bag from their store. Plus, I find, groceries are easier to carry and won't fall out as easily compared to plastic bags.

Flying out of Logan soon? Fly with an E-Ticket. The cost of processing a paper ticket is approximately $10, while processing an e-ticket costs only $1. The financial savings and the sheer amount of paper saved will help the environment significantly. E-tickets save airlines about $3 billion a year. Plus, checking in online and printing your own boarding pass saves you time.

Go Vegetarian once a week. One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet! It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest are destroyed. Need ideas for good vegetarian recipes? Check out Vieshnavi Rattehalli's blog In Search of Flavor. She has lots of great ideas for yummy vegetarian dishes.

Coffee lovers! Ditch the coffee stirrer. Each year, Americans throw away 138 billion straws and stirrers. Determined to stir? Break off a piece of pasta form the cupboard. You can nibble on it after using it, compost it or throw it away and feel less guilty.

Have any other suggestions? What are some other ways us Bostonians can save the planet without doing much? Do anything environmentally friendly lately? Let me know. I'd love to hear.

Birthday Wishes

Since my birthday is in just a few days, I have had birthday on the brain.Growing up, almost every year, I had a birthday party of some sort and last year, I was even lucky enough to have my friends throw me a surprise party. Fortunately, I have great friends and family, who I know no matter what will celebrate with me on my special day.


But for the more than 3,000 homeless children staying in publicly-funded homeless shelters in Massachusetts, their birthdays often go without celebration. For the over 96,000 homeless children in Massachusetts, a birthday party is something a homeless child can only dream of.




Every child deserves to celebrate their birthday. This is where Birthday Wishes comes in.

The mission of Birthday Wishes is to bring birthday parties to homeless children. Birthday Wishes recognizes the importance of a birthday in a child's life and believes that the gift of a birthday celebration provides normalcy, joy and hope in these children's otherwise unsettled lives. The Birthday Wishes main office is located right in Newton Centre, MA, but have several other offices in Massachusetts, as well as other states.

There are many ways you can help out Birthday Wishes' cause:


1. Donate money, in-kind donations, or your time. Many of the wanted items include:

• Gifts for children 3 and under    
• $20 Stop & Shop gift cards 
• $35 gift cards for Gap, Dick's Sporting Goods, Old Navy, Target or Foot Locker
• Juice boxes
• Gifts for boys ages 8-13 (Red Sox/Patriots gear, basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, etc.) 
• Party supplies: birthday-themed gift-wrap and birthday-themed paper table covers
• Monetary donations
• Large birthday-themed gift bags
• Caran d'Ache face paints
• Batteries - AA and AAA
• Bulk supplies for Arts & Crafts projects

You can even look at the party schedule and see who the party will be for and what specific donations or number of volunteers are needed for that particular celebration.

2. Volunteer your time by:

-Volunteering your services at a Birthday Wishes party as a facepainter, cake-decorator, or magician. Any special talent you have could brighten someone's day. :)

-Becoming an office volunteer. Assist with day-to-day office tasks such as data entry, mailings, answering phones, receiving donations, and organizing files as well as putting together birthday boxes. 

-Volunteer at a party. Birthday Wishes parties require anywhere from 2-6 volunteers to help set up, engage the kids with crafts & games, serve cake and ensure a great time for everyone.

3. Throw a Birthday Wishes Themed Birthday Party! An impressively growing number of young people are choosing to support Birthday Wishes as the "theme" of their birthday parties. They provide a template invitation, which invites all attendees to bring an item for Birthday Wishes to the party (this is done either in lieu of or in addition to gifts for the birthday child – its up to you). When you bring in your items from the party to Birthday Wishes, they will take a picture of the birthday child with their donations for the newsletter.

Support Birthday Wishes on November 7th, 2010 at 5pm in its first annual Luminary Night. Simply light the luminaries on your front walks or driveways. Birthday Wishes Luminary Night is a special way to bring light and joy into the dark days of winter, while benefiting Birthday Wishes and the children the organization serves. Luminary Kits, can be purchased from Birthday Wishes, and will be dropped off at your home on Saturday, November 6. Each kit contains everything you will need for a dozen luminaries.

Birthdays should be special-- for everyone. Help the Birthday Wishes Cause. I think organizations like this need to be in every community. 

Have you ever donated or volunteered for Birthday Wishes or a similar cause? Share your story. I'd love to hear what impact you made.    

Cleaning out your house? Donate your unwanted items to the Thrift Store!

Since Boston weather has gotten especially cold these past few days, I took the time to re-arrange my closet to bring out those winter jackets and put away the summer clothes. As I was cleaning my room and digging through my closet, I collected a huge pile of clothes and other items that no longer fit me or my interest. As tempted as I was to throw the trash bag full of things into the dumpster behind my apartment, I brought my bag of unwanted things to my local thrift store, Goodwill Thrift Store. Knowing that my items were going to help a good cause, instead of sitting in a landfill, made me feel as though I made some sort of an impact.

Before researching for this blog post, I never knew where exactly the proceeds from the donated items went once someone makes a purchase from Goodwill. Boy, did I learn a lot after looking on their website.


Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries' mission is to provide exemplary job training and related services to  help individuals with disabilities and other barriers to self-suffiency to achieve independence and dignity through work.


Founded in 1985, Goodwill is dedicated to the social justice mission of serving individuals, families, and communities with the greatest needs by helping people go to work to better support themselves and their families. Goodwill annually serves more than 7,200 low-income, unemployed and underemployed adults in its job training and career services programs, and more than 1,000 young people in its youth services programs. Goodwill makes high quality clothing and household goods available at reasonable prices throughout The Goodwill Stores. Goodwill is a major employer of individuals with disabilities in the social enterprises, operating in retail, housekeeping, and maintenance, food service and light assembly.


Not only that, but Goodwill makes high quality clothing and household goods available at reasonable prices through The Goodwill Stores. This is important because families are able to get basic necessities, like clothes, kitchen supplies, coats, and other things, at a reasonable rate instead of paying full price at other stores.

The Donate Movement

Recently, Goodwill launched The Donate Movement, which shows people they have the power to strengthen their communities, make a difference in people's lives, and create a healthier environment by donating. In 2009, Goodwill provided critical services to nearly 2 million people and diverted more than one billion pounds of usable items from landfills. Every day, especially with our economy, the need for Goodwill's programs and services increases every day. Donate a few times a year to Goodwill. Spread the word about The Donate Movement.


You can even calculate your impact below by listing the number and type of items you are donating. Recently the two coats, three pairs of jeans, and the old books I donated, helped give over an hour of Job Search Class for someone. Read some of the survivor stories, like Doyle McGee, a recovering alcoholic who was helped greatly by the services Goodwill provides.





Levi's Strauss & Co., partnered with Goodwill, to launch "A Care Tag for Our Planet" to keep billions of unwanted clothing out of landfills and in to the hands of good use. Kudos to Levi's for being the first major retailer to include messaging on product tags encouraging people to wash in cold, line dry & donate to Goodwill.


A cool thing you can enter is the Donate Movement Photo Contest sponsored by Levi's. Grand prize includes a Levi's prize pack (valued at $400).






Spread the word about this movement on Facebook and Twitter or on your blog.


For a list of locations in Massachusetts, including Boston, visit here.


Donating items to Goodwill may seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. What will you donate? Tell me about your recent donation and what inspired you to donate. :)