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Bring back play and playgrounds for children~with Kaboom

February 14, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Have you heard about Kaboom? They are this fantastic group that help build playgrounds in communities that need them and work towards getting them. Play is so important, and it’s absent from kids today. Today’s child spends an average of 4 hours a day in front of a screen (minimum) but less than 4 hours a week outdoors.  That’s terrible. It affects everything from health and obesity to intelligence and creativity and problem solving skills. And sports and activities don’t always count–even if a child is spending decent time in a structured sport, they still need unstructured time. Being told what to do for an hour while they run around a field isn’t the same.

So enters Kaboom, who wants to help our kids. And this month, they are having a contest. You can post photos of a playground you love for a chance to win some toys.

First, here are some resources they offer on kids and play. You can get started with these “cheat sheets” on play. They provide quick facts to make your case for the necessity of play, ideas for action in your neighborhood, and links to some of our best resources.

See that last one? They give you an overview to get started in your neighborhood.

Click to visit Kaboom.

Click to visit Kaboom.

Whether you want to just try to win some toys by posting a photo, make a donation to a project, or get your own community project started, make sure you check out Kaboom.

This post is a part of my participation in the #GlobalTeamof200. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Kids & Families, Social Good Tagged With: ,

2013 Shot@Life Champion…….me!

February 10, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

shot_at_life_badge_300x250I am very excited to announce that I have been chosen as a 2013 Champion for the Shot@Life program. If it seems a little quiet around the blog this week, that’s why–I am in Washington, DC with the 99 other Shot@Life champions for a conference/workshop.

Please follow me on Twitter @LisaLightnerLL if you’re not already doing so, and make sure you check out their Facebook page and website at http://ShotAtLife.org. They have lots of tips and resources if you would like to get involved.

What is Shot@Life?

Shot@Life educates, connects and empowers Americans to champion vaccines as one of the most cost-effective ways to save the lives of children in developing countries. A national call to action for this global cause, the campaign rallies the American public, members of Congress, and civil society partners around the fact that together, we can save a child’s life every 20 seconds by expanding access to vaccines. By encouraging Americans to learn about, advocate for, and donate vaccines, the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign will decrease vaccine-preventable childhood deaths and give children a shot at a healthy life.

So what’s next?

Over the next 12 months, I’ll be sharing information about Shot@Life and vaccines in general. If you haven’t already guessed, I am passionately pro-vaccine and get frustrated at the amount of misinformation about vaccines that is out there.

I believe:

Vaccine skepticism is a first world luxury.

 

Here is an infographic provided by Shot@Life to give you an overview of the program and some facts about vaccines.

Power of Vaccines

 

 

Filed Under: Social Good Tagged With: ,

Earn money for charity when you walk, run, or bike with @CharityMiles

February 7, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

charity milesHave you heard of Charity Miles? I haven’t until today, and now I’m somewhat motivated to get a smartphone. If you are not yet familiar with Charity Miles, it’s a free iPhone/Android app that enables people to earn money for charity when they walk, run or bike.  And I think I’d look pretty silly running down the road with my tablet.

The United Nations Foundation and social good fitness app Charity Miles are partnering for the Month of February in order to encourage people to help raise 10k just by downloading the app and participating in its virtual #VDay10k by talking a walk, run or bike ride. The #Vday10k challenge will run through the month of February when you’ll be able to donate your distance to a variety of United Nations Foundation campaigns.  The participating campaigns will include Girl Up, where your miles will help a teen girl in a developing country safely attend school, Nothing but Nets where you will help protect a family from malaria, and Shot@Life where your miles will help to provide life-saving vaccines to children around the world that need it most.

The concept is quite simple, all you need to do is download the Charity Miles app for free on your smartphone.  Then select the United Nations Foundation campaign of your choice and whether you will be walking, running or biking. Please pick Shot@Life, which is near and dear to my heart. As a 2013 Shot@Life Champion, it would be great if you could donate to them.

Charity Miles will donate 25 cents for every mile you walk or run, and 10 cents for every mile you bike.  At the end of your activity, you will be told how your donated miles will help the charity you’ve chosen.  Social media is integrated into the app, so you can share the good that you’ve done with your friends on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #VDay10k.
At the end of the month, The UN Foundation will feature the person who raises the most for the #VDay10k on its website and Facebook page.

 

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Have you had your 8 glasses of water today?

February 6, 2013 by · Leave a Comment

Surely you’ve heard the saying that you should drink 8 glasses of water each day to stay healthy, right? I don’t know if that’s actually true, if you really need to drink quite that much or if it’s just the overall message of staying hydrated. It’s really something we take for granted.

Worldwide-1 in 3 women does not have a safe, clean place to use the toilet. 1 in 3. That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?

 

Just last night, I had gone to bed, I was the last person in my family to do so, everyone else was asleep. I was laying in bed watching Pawn Stars and about 20 minutes later, one of my dogs started whimpering. I grumbled at having to get out of my warm bed and go out into the cold night to let her go to the bathroom. I will never complain about that again! Because after reading what I’m reading to day about WaterAid and the problems they are trying to fix, my problem is not a problem!

Worldwide almost 1 billion people do not have clean drinking water. As a result, 2,000 children die every day from easily prevented diarrheal diseases with countless more unable to attend school. Millions of women are unable to work because they spend so much time collecting water and caring for sick children.

Spend so much time collecting their water……walking hours each way to get some.

This Valentine’s Day, consider making a donation so that other families around the world gain access to clean water.

val water

Filed Under: Social Good Tagged With: ,
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