Charity – Sometimes Yaya

An Orange Battle Cry

As I have gotten older, I have come to understand more and more the need to give back. It has come as both gratitude for the ways in which I have been blessed, and a passion for causes that come closer and closer to my heart.

One of these is Cycle for Survival. An event where you do a mass exercise (think hundreds of people) and raise money for rare cancer research. Picture this: an Equinox fitness location (or whatever trendy fitness location you have in your neck of the woods – you’ll understand the specific club reference shortly) where all the equipment has been removed from the floor and replaced by stationary bikes. There is an instructor in the center every hour for four hours and each one leads a pom pom pumping, cheer inducing, sweaty good time. Continue reading “An Orange Battle Cry”

Charity at Forever21

Forever 21 has caught a lot of heat for being the store to create super cheap items more often than not very close to being complete copies of runway sensations. Then there’s the matter of their human relations, the eco-friendly questions of the garments with expiration dates, etc. Yes – all of that. I have no answer to any of those concerns or questions. I do however know what you can do at the store as of yesterday. Help a worthy cause.

Photo Courtesy of FEED, Graphics Courtesy of MyOwnJudge.net

Go in for a cute top or dress for the holidays and snatch up a FEED bracelet or five. The purchase of one supplies two school meals for children through the United Nations World Food Program.

FEED 2 Guatemala Bracelets are handcrafted by artisans in Guatemala, these charming glass-beaded, nylon-strung bracelets come in 6 fun colors: red, yellow, blue, gold, silver, and black.

Each color represents the country designated to receive the 2 school meals that are provided with the purchase of every bracelet. Each hand-beaded FEED logo bracelet measures approximately 6“ long, with 3″ ties on both ends.

RED: Provides 2 school meals in Swaziland, a country with the highest HIV prevalence in the world.
YELLOW: Provides 2 school meals in Sri Lanka, aiding millions of citizens still struggling with the effects of 2004’s devastating tsunami, coupled with a quarter century of civil war.
BLUE: Provides 2 school meals in Haiti, a country in which approximately 70% of children under 5 years old suffer from malnutrition.
GOLD: Provides 2 school meals in Honduras, which houses the third largest School Feeding Operation in the world.
SILVER: Provides 2 school meals in Pakistan to aid victims of the recent flood and earthquake that devastated millions Pakistani children.
BLACK: Provides 2 school meals in Kenya, benefiting over one million children within the U.N. World Food Program’s School Feeding Operations in Kenya.

What color(s) do you want to get?

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Well Heeled Donors

You may be accustomed to a pair of Loboutin heels costing well over a thousand dollars, but have you ever braced yourself for one hundred percent of the proceeds going to charity? I sure wasn’t. Now I’m not trying to say the company is cheap or anything of the sort, but really – a product that is expensive to make, when all proceeds go as a donation, it means the company is donating funds as well. Think of it – money to produce, as well as time and monies earned.

The famed shoe designer has produced a limited edition of only 33 pairs to benefit the Grameen Foundation in favor of microfinancing. What inspired the move? Louboutin was inspired by the book “Creating a World Without Poverty,” written by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus (also author to Banker To The Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty), founder of Grameen Bank and Grameen Foundation, a microfinance group.

The well heeled patron will drop $1,495 on a pair. They come in three colors, each in a flagship store. Champagne in New York, lavender in Miami, and pin in Los Angeles. Word is still out if the 33 pairs are for each color or each pair is available in only eleven pairs. If so, that’d probably only mean that there are only one or two pairs of each color. Drama!

Source: WWD

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Pinstripe Writers Foundation

After receiving a last minute invite to a launch for the Pinstripe Writers Foundation Charity, I figured I need to be a good Samaritan and spread the word about the organization. No matter how hard times are for someone, it is way more difficult for others, and though we’re not comparing or trying to make Even Steven of the world, we do need to give back and participate within our communities and support the youth.

The foundation’s mission statement “is to award one Latino Jersey City student who has demonstrated academic achievement and a strong journalistic craft with a one full four-year foundation scholarship to a journalism school either in NY or NJ.”

Check them out here and help out however you can.

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As October continues…

At the last Bloggin’ Beauts meet up, Breast Cancer Awareness month came up in conversation and it was agreed that the month of October has turned into more of a marketing ploy. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate to the highest degree what many of our favorite companies are doing by partnering with research organizations and the like, but you have to be careful where you shop for the cause.

A lot of companies will divulge how much of a percentage of the proceeds from a product goes to the actual cause. It’s a bit of a shame when products that cost hundreds of dollars donate $1 or $2 to charity from each product. On the one hand, it is still a step into more research, but on the other it seems just a bit wasteful. But never fear, there are lots of companies that make products specifically that give all the proceeds from a product to research, or partner with non-profit organizations that have the best ratio of spending to research (as in salaries vs. research funds, etc.). Check out these links to see accredited and “graded” charities (not just cancer-related):

Better Business Bureau list of accredited/reviewed charities.
CharityNavigator.Org evaluates charities.
CharityWatch.Org grade list – find out who passed.

I will continue to post a group of promotional products at a time while the month is going along, because pink is a great color, and y’all should find a good cause and buy just one thing. Won’t hurt right?

Help Smashbox support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“This limited-edition lipstick ($22) in our best-selling babydoll pink shade is a beautiful way to give back. 40% of the proceeds benefit the Los Angeles County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research grants, meritorious awards, and educational, scientific and community outreach programs around the world.

The silky-smooth formula with Vitamin E and Tahitian Flower delivers non-stop hydration and soft shine for gorgeous, lasting color.

Limited-edition sleeve inspired by the Fashion for the Cure® benefit, which will feature the Diane von Furstenberg Cruise/Pre-Spring Collection 2009/2010.“

E.L.F.

“October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and in support of that e.l.f will donate 100% from the purchase of each Bubble Gum Pink Nail Polish ($1) and 50% from the purchase of each Pink Mini Makeup Collection ($15) ordered in the month of October to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide.“

Three Custom Color Specialists have a lip gloss that’s sure to show your appreciation for womankind and research alike.

“This October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are proud to introduce Be Bright Pink Lip Gloss, an exclusive shade created to support Bright Pink, a national non-profit organization that provides education and support to young women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer. 20% of sales generated by the purchase of Be Bright Pink Lip Gloss will be donated to support Bright Pink’s mission to help women proactively take control of their health via education, support and community development for those at risk. To learn more about this amazing charity, log on to www.bebrightpink.org.

Be Bright Pink Lip Gloss is a sheer carnation pink with a silver satin finish, designed to flatter all skin tones. As we never discontinue, we will proudly continue to donate a portion of the sales of Be Bright Pink Lip Gloss to Bright Pink for years to come.“

Find out more about Susan G Komen’s Fashion for the Cure, and the Be Bright Pink organizations and campaigns in the respective links.

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