Everyday Giving Blog

What Would You Give To A Mugger?

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

This is a quote from Julio Diaz. Julio was recently mugged in the subway at New York City. He not only gave his wallet, but since the robber was going to be mugging other people, Julio gave him his coat to keep warm. This led to the two of them having dinner together in a nearby diner (and the mugger paid for the meal!)

This is an incredible story on the power of a giving lifestyle. There's something in this story for each of us as we look at our own life. Just how giving are we in our everyday life? Even in the moment of incredible stress (imagine being mugged), is our natural response to give?

Read the entire article from NPR.

...post by guest blogger, Scott Couchenour, founder of Serving Strong.

Pay It Forward

My daughter brought 10 of her friends home with her from college. You heard it: 10 BFFs! Here's a picture of our living room this morning.

They went to breakfast this morning at our local dutch restaurant.  When they returned, every single one of them was talking a mile a minute.  They couldn't wait to share what happened at the restaurant.

Turns out, when the waitress brought all their bills, a lady sitting close by came over to their table and took all the bills.  She shared how the girls were the future of the world and to keep Christ at the center of their lives.  She paid their bills AND put a $30 tip on the table!

But the most encouraging thing about this is that each of the girls are now planning how they can take the money they were going to spend on breakfast and find ways to "pay it forward" to someone else.

I don't know who the lady is, but how about that for everydaygiving?!

Scott Couchenour, Certified Life Coach (Promoting Ministry Balance)

www.servingstrong.com    www.servingstrong.typepad.com

Carve Out Space For Giving

"He emerged from the Metro at the L'Enfant Plaza Station and positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript: a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap.  From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic, and began to play."

This is a quote from Gene Weingarten in a story on Washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post had conducted an experiment in which world famous violinist, Joshua Bell, entered a busy Washington, D.C. metro station at 7:51 am on a Friday. In the middle of morning rush hour.  Joshua Bell played six classical pieces in 43 minutes as 1,097 people passed by. He had earned a total of $32.17 (not including $20 from one person who did recognize who he was.)

Weingarten goes on to say,

"A onetime child prodigy, at 39 Joshua Bell has arrived as an internationally acclaimed virtuoso. Three days before he appeared at the Metro station, Bell had filled the house at Boston's stately Symphony Hall, where merely pretty good seats went for $100.  Two weeks later, at the Music Center at Strathmore, in North Bethesda, he would play to a standing-room-only audience so respectful of his artistry that they stifled their coughs until the silence between movements."

Weingarten echoed Kant's words:

"Conditions must be optimal for the recognition of beauty. It is not that Americans are unable to appreciate beauty per se, just that appreciating art while on the way to a busy day is extremely difficult. In a concert hall, space has been carved out for appreciation: the audience is attentive because they have nowhere else to go."

"Space as been carved out for appreciation." Wow!

What distractions keep us from appreciating the beauty all around us everyday? And what if we allowed that appreciation to influence our giving everyday? Because even in the midst of beauty, there are needs.

The people in the Metro station that day were so focused on their agendas they didn't recognize the beauty of Joshua Bell playing a violin worth more than $3.5 million. Are you too busy to appreciate beauty? Are you too busy to give everyday?

Check out Weingarten's article, complete with video of the experiment.

From guest blogger - Scott Couchenour, Certified Life Coach (www.servingstrong.com  www.servingstrong.typepad.com)

Giving beyond yourself

My wife and I recently went to Chipotle for dinner. If you're not familiar with this restaurant, it's a fast food place where you can get burritos the size of a small country, packed with rice, beans, chicken, and so on. I added a picture to this post.

While eating, I noticed writing on my cup. It informed me of a person by the name of Wes Jackson, a plant geneticist who transforms agriculture by cross-breeding traditional, annual food crops like wheat, sunflowers and corn with deep-rooted perennials. This can possibly lead to diminishing the need for pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. It can also help save water, reduce erosion, and replenish the soil. He founded www.landinstitute.org. He is quoted as saying "if your life's work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you're not thinking big enough."

"If your life's work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you're not thinking big enough."

What a great quote to use to re-align ourselves at the beginning of a brand new year! How are YOU going to give this year? Does your giving lead to something bigger than you are? Why not let this year be the best ever?

Scott Couchenour, guest blogger, Certified Life Coach - Serving Strong (Scott's blog)

In a box or from a launching pad?

I was listening to a radio station playing Christmas music today. I heard Clay Aiken's song, "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day." This got me thinking.

For most of Americans, Christmas comes around Thanksgiving when all the boxes with all the decorations get brought up from the basement and things get hung on the wall, on the windows, on the tree, and put in the yard. We go through the holiday season until sometime into January when all the decorations come off the wall, off the windows, off the tree and off the yard - back in the boxes, back down to the basement. There, the boxes sit until sometime around Thanksgiving the next year.

How's your giving?  Is it like the decorations? Do you confine giving to the Christmas season, getting it out of the box and then putting it back in the box when the New Year arrives? Or is your giving all year long?

This Christmas, we can see the holiday as one of two metaphors: One is a box. The other is a launch pad. We can see Christmas as the time for giving. Or you can see Christmas as a time to launch our giving all through 2008.

Everyday Giving is not a season. It's a lifestyle, a journey, a way of life, an attitude. Are you a boxed giver or an everyday giver? Is giving an idea? Or is giving a core value?

Just like the lyrics of Clay's song say, "How many people are crying, some people are dying...many people are asking for love." So,

"Don't save it all for Christmas day. Find a way to give a little love everyday. Don't save it all for Christmas day. Find a way cause holidays have come and gone. But love lives on if you give on."

Have a great holiday season! And make it last all through 2008!

Scott A. Couchenour, Certified Life Coach

Serving Strong Blog

New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours

Do you want to help save the world but don’t feel you have enough time?

The ability to make a difference in the world through simple changes is the subject of a new book by authors Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley. New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours is filled with many positive and practical ways we can help make the world a better place.

Sam and Stephen have done much more than create a list of things we can do. Their book also provides a basic education on a variety of important topics including energy use, recycling and fair trade. This learning occurs without realizing it. New Day Revolution is fun to read and contains stories and amazing facts to reinforce the major impact we can have.

The only disappointment was that it didn’t mention the life saving value of giving blood and registering as an organ donor. However, I am confident (or at least hopeful) Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley will write additional books in the future where these activities will be included.

After reading this book, I learned many new ways to be a better citizen and caretaker of the Earth. More importantly, it gave me a newfound interest in the impact my everyday activities have on the world.

You can help save the world even if you only have a small amount of time and a willingness to make simple lifestyle changes.

Get your copy of New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours and become a member of this new revolution by making simple, world-changing choices in your life.

Seth Godin Offering Free Seminar To Nonprofit Leaders

Seth Godin is a top marketer, speaker and best-selling author who continually supports the nonprofit community.

One of his next contributions is a free seminar for a few people (no more than 20) involved with nonprofit organizations. It will be held on December 10th in an intimate setting at Seth's office in New York. I am confident each lucky attendee will walk away with many "outside the box" ideas he or she will be able to implement immediately for greater impact on the world.

Go to http://www.squidoo.com/Sethnonprofit to learn more about this event and how to apply. If you lead a nonprofit organization, this is an opportunity you should take seriously.

Personal finance habits

I just posted an entry on the Serving Strong blog and thought it might also be good for Everyday Giving.  I believe as we are able to better manage our finances, we are better able to give.  These are simple, yet powerful habits to build into our way of life...

Check out the original post.

Serve Strong!

Scott Couchenour (Balance coach to people who serve people) ServingStrongBlog.  ServingStrongWebsite.

Change Your World Contest At Razoo.com

Social networking has become extremely popular on the web. Some of the most popular web sites are now social networking sites. These websites include MySpace, YouTube, Orkut, and Facebook. These social networking sites allow people and organizations with common interests to meet.

There is a new type of social networking gaining popularity and it is changing the world. Do gooders and organizations that do good are meeting online to join forces and find ways to make a difference. My recent involvement with some of these sites has resulted in a number of people helping me with causes I am passionate about, meeting celebrities who are doing charitable work, and even discovering a new nonprofit organization that I have joined as a board member.

One of my favorite social networking web sites is Razoo. You can check out Razoo at http://beta.razoo.com. Razoo's founder and CEO, Sebastian Traeger, is developing a winner. The website makes it easy to find others who are interested in the same causes that you are.  It also makes it easy to encourage others to join you in taking action. What I am most impressed with is character of the leadership and membership.

Razoo is currently promoting the Change Your World contest. You can earn your chance to get $10,000 for your favorite charity. All you need to do to qualify is to start a group to support your favorite cause it and get at least 100 members to join your group before September 15, 2007. That is only two weeks away. Go to http://beta.razoo.com/win10k and http://blog.razoo.com/articles/2007/08/02/10-000-contest to learn more about the contest and joining Razoo.

Be sure to add me as a friend when you join. You can find me on Razoo at http://beta.razoo.com/members/rogercarr.

Update: The contest has been extended to October 1 and additional prizes have been added.

Interviewing On The Web Is Now Easier Than Ever

Interviews can be a great way to let others know about a cause you believe in. They can also be a great way to announce things like charitable events. Most people think they have to talk to a reporter who is taking notes for a newspaper article or stand in front of a camera for a television news segment. This can create an uncomfortable situation knowing anything you say or do at that moment can find its way on the news.

Today, blogs have gained a significant amount of influence and respect in the news community. Blogs have become a part of the new media. In the past, you may have been nervous about standing in front of a camera or reporter while answering questions on the spot. Interviewing with a blogger is much different. First, questions are developed and sent to you in advance.  Then, you type your response to each of those questions and send them back to the blogger when you're comfortable with your answers. You have the ability to review and edit your answers before the interviewer sees and publishes them.

I've recently discovered a new, free web service that makes this process easy. You can check it out at http://www.Peopleized.com. Not only is it easy, but it also makes the interview available to other bloggers and website publishers. This means each interview that you do could be picked up and published multiple times on the Internet.

To give you an example of what an interview looks like, I've included my first interview on Peopleized.com at the end of this post. If you want to send me some questions for an interview, go to http://www.EverydayGivingBlog.com and click on the "Interview Me" button.

 

If being a part of an interview made you nervous in the past, consider using this new interview service to make a difference.

---

rogercarr
    Peopleized by: Euripidis - Saturday, 25 August 2007
   

Hi, my name is Roger Carr. I live in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia with my wife, Kim, and my son, Trevor. I am the founder and owner of Everyday Giving. The purpose of Everyday Giving is to inspire others to give back and make a difference in the world.

   

   

Euripidis: Why did you start blogging?

rogercarr: My purpose in life is to help people help others. I needed a great way to let people know how easy it is to make a difference. Blogging is one of the ways I use to communicate the message and the response has been terrific.


Euripidis: The top 3 blogs you read?

rogercarr: I regularly follow several blogs. My top three are:

* Serving Strong by Scott Couchenour at servingstrong.typepad.com. Scott's blog posts provide great insight and thought provoking questions for Christian leaders.

* World Wanting Peace by David Perdew at www.worldwantingpeace.com. David is a very giving, honest and passionate person about life (and Internet marketing).

* Beth's Blog by Beth Kanter at beth.typepad.com. Beth provides the best information regarding technology for nonprofits.


Euripidis: Where do you get your inspiration from to write?

rogercarr: I get my inspiration in many ways. I'm writing about a subject that God has given me a passion for so much of my inspiration comes from within. I also read or listen to many good books, blogs and podcasts. Finally, inspiration comes from watching generous people take action to unselfishly help others.


Euripidis: Choose one word to describe your blog?

rogercarr: Giving

rogercarr's Page

Authors Page: Euripidis

   

powered by Peopleized!

Changing The World One Day At A Time

How do you start your mornings? Julia Bailey dedicates a portion of her mornings to thinking about how she is going to change the world. Julia doesn't do it for the mental exercise. She turns her thoughts into actions and makes a positive difference in the world.

You can read about the generous deeds Julia has accomplished on her blog entitled How I changed the world today. She demonstrates that you can have a significant impact on the world by doing something every day.

What did you do yesterday that made a positive difference in someone's life? What are you doing today to help change the world?

Interview With Author of "Do I Have A Birthday Too?: The Cheerful Givers Story"

Cheerful Givers is a nonprofit organization that has impressed me due to their powerful mission and their enthusiasm. I mentioned them in a previous post at http://www.everydaygivingblog.com/2007/02/cheerful_givers.html.

A new book is published that shares the story of Cheerful Givers. I had the privilege of interviewing Melane Bower. She is the author of Do I Have A Birthday Too?: The Cheerful Givers Story.

Go to http://www.everydaygivingradio.com/2007/04/interview_with_.html to listen to the full interview.

A Child's Cat Toy Saves Lives In Sudan

Age has nothing to do with a person's ability to change the world. Children continually impress me with the remarkable things they do to give back.

They are passionate. They are creative. They are full of energy.

A recent example I discovered is 7 year old Cassidy Lynn.

She is passionate. She is saving kid's lives in Sudan by raising funds for KIDS FOR KIDS. They use the funds to provide goats to the poorest families in remote villages in Darfur, Sudan. These goats help provide the nourishment needed for the children to be healthy.

She is creative. Cassidy designs, creates and sells unique cat toys to raise the funds. These cat toys are called Playful Pancakes. Each one is a different design, handmade by children, and given a unique name.

She is full of energy. It is obvious that Cassidy is enthusiastic about this project. How do I know? She has recruited several friends to help create the Playful Pancakes.

Consider supporting Cassidy in her fundraising efforts. Go to http://www.playfulpancakes.blogspot.com and check out the latest Playful Pancakes news.

Blogging for Charity Events

I am a supporter of the Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk. The walk is an annual fundraising event that takes place during the month of May in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The purpose of the walk is to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation.

The Fredericksburg event is one of hundreds of Arthritis Walk events nationwide, that raise needed funds to prevent, control and cure arthritis, the nation's #1 cause of disability.

A new weblog has been started to support the walk. The Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk Blog  can be viewed at http://www.FredericksburgArthritisWalk.com. The purpose of the blog is to encourage and support the planning committee members, team captains, team members and sponsors of the walk. It has the added benefit of promoting the Arthritis Foundation mission and encouraging visitors from outside the local area to participate in an Arthritis Walk in their area.

Whether you are local to Fredericksburg or not, go to the Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk Blog and take a look around. Post a comment to let me know what you like about it and how it can be improved.

If you are involved in a charitable event, consider blogging and other methods to support your cause.

Reasons to Give in December 2006

There are countless times that you might consider giving to someone. You don't have to look very hard to find one or more reasons every day. Be creative in finding reasons to do something for someone when they won't expect it. Pick one or more of these upcoming observances as reasons to help and surprise others with an act of kindness:

• Dec 1 - World AIDS Day - http://www.worldaidsday.org
• Dec 2 - Together We Can Change the World Day - http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworldday.com
• Dec 3 - International Day of Disabled Persons - http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disiddp.htm
• Dec 4 - National Cookie Day
• Dec 5 - International Volunteer Day - http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/intl-volunteer-day.html
• Dec 16-Dec 23 - Hanukkah/Chanukah - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanukah
• Dec 25 - Christmas - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Day
• Dec 26-Jan 1 - Kwanzaa - http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org

Do you Jikolp?

Would you like to support some worthy charities without it requiring any additional time or money? Of course you would. Jikolp.com makes that possible. Use Jikolp.com for your searches on the Internet and others will benefit.

The Jikolp.com team searched for a business idea that would accomplish two things.

1. Provide everyday people with an easy, zero cost method to support charity organizations.
2. Provide charity organizations with a new source of income to carry on and extend their good work.

They not only have created a great idea, but they took action and made it a reality.

What was their idea? Build a search engine service that people can use and donate 50% of the revenue to charity.

I really like some things that they have done on the website:

1. They have made it very clear what charity the revenue will be donated to. There are charities that you may not want to support. By letting you know what charity will be supported, you don't have to worry about your web activities helping a charity you don't support.
2. The search results you get are the same ones you would get if you were using Google. this ensures you will receive quality results.
3. The website is simple and uncluttered.

Consider changing your default web browser to http://www.jikolp.com. You will be joining the actions of many caring people and making a difference in the world.

Pumpkin Festival Sets Record and Raises Funding for Charity

What does pumpkin carving, Guinness World Record-breaking and raising funds for charity have in common? They were all done at the Life is good: Pumpkin Festival this year.

On October 21, Life is good: Pumpkin Festivals took place across the country. Over 100,000 people carved pumpkins at the Boston Commons festival site and 30,128 pumpkins lit up the grounds to set a new Guinness World Record!

The Life is good: Pumpkin Festival, across eighteen sites, also raised $554,211 to support kids in need.

You now know a pumpkin festival can set a world record and raise over a half million dollars for a worthy charity. What events can you think of and start that can also make a difference?

Reasons to Give in November 2006

There are countless times that you might consider giving to someone. You don't have to look very hard to find one or more reasons every day. Be creative in finding reasons to do something for someone when they won't expect it. Pick one or more of these upcoming observances as reasons to help and surprise others with an act of kindness:

• Nov - National Alzheimer's Disease Month - http://www.alz.org
• Nov 4 - Together We Can Change The World Day - http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworldday.com
• Nov 11 - Veterans Day - http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday
• Nov 12-18 - National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week - http://www.nationalhomeless.org/getinvolved/projects/awareness
• Nov 12 - Chicken Soup for the Soul Day - http://www.chickensoup.com
• Nov 13 - World Kindness Day - http://www.actsofkindness.org
• Nov 14 - World Diabetes Day - http://www.worlddiabetesday.org
• Nov 15 - National Philanthropy Day - http://www.nationalphilanthropyday.org
• Nov 18 - National Family Volunteer Day - http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/NFVD
• Nov 18 - National Adoption Day - http://www.nationaladoptionday.org
• Nov 19-25 - National Family Week - http://www.nationalfamilyweek.org
• Nov 19-26 - National Bible Week - http://www.nationalbible.org/index-3.html
• Nov 21 - World Hello Day - http://www.worldhelloday.org
• Nov 23 - Thanksgiving Day - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

A Great Way to Make a Difference on Halloween

When I was growing up, it was fun dressing up in costumes and going "trick-or-treating" door to door in my neighborhood on Halloween. Can you remember how fun it was doing that?

Unfortunately, a scare started one of those years because somewhere candy was handed out that was tampered with. After that time, we still dressed up and went out on Halloween. We still had fun. However, we limited our visits to people we knew or we participated in Halloween parties.

The joy of going out to "trick-or-treat" is still an ongoing tradition today. Many children stop by my house on the evening of Halloween to get their treats. You may have several happy, excited children visit you on that night as well. The smiles on their faces, as they receive your Halloween gift, can get you excited as well.

Do you consider the Halloween treats you hand out as gifts? You may not consider Halloween as a gift giving occasion. However, you might change your mind when you visit  http://www.BooksForTreats.org for a new twist on Halloween giving.

You can be helping children, taking away many of the worries parents have on that evening, while still providing long-lasting fun for the kids. The only danger is that you may have more children visiting your house next year when the children and their parents talk about how you celebrated Halloween.

Everyday Giving Article Published in Holistic Business Journal

I am excited that the Everyday Giving article entitled "7 Tips to Make You More Creative" was published in the September 2006 issue of the Holistic Business Journal.

It is worth checking out if you own a business or are planning to start one. The publication contains a significant amount of useful information and is published in a very professional format. The sample issue currently available is the issue that contains "7 Tips to Make You More Creative."

Go to http://www.holistic-business-journal.com to view the publication and learn more about the Holistic Business Journal.

Reasons to Give in October 2006

Be creative in finding reasons to do something for someone when they won't expect it. Pick one or more of these upcoming observances as reasons to help and surprise others with an act of kindness:

• Oct - Lupus Awareness Month - http://www.lupus.org/education/LAM_main.html
• Oct - National Breast Cancer Awareness Month - http://www.nbcam.org
• Oct 6 - World Smile Day - http://www.worldsmileday.com
• Oct 1 - International Day of Older Persons - http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/index.html
• Oct 2 - World Habitat Day - http://www.unhabitat.org/categories.asp?catid=490
• Oct 5 - World Teachers Day - http://www.ei-ie.org/worldteachersday
• Oct 9 - Columbus Day - http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct12.html
• Oct 10 - World Mental Health Day - http://www.wmhday.net
• Oct 15 - Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day - http://mysundayschoolteacher.com
• Oct 15-21 - National Food Bank Week - http://www.secondharvest.org
• Oct 22-28 - Kids Care Week - http://www.kidscare.org
• Oct 22 - Mother-in-Law Day
• Oct 24 - United Nations Day - http://www.un.org/events/unday
• Oct 28 - Make a Difference Day - http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday
• Oct 31 - Halloween - http://www.BooksForTreats.org

Bid on Immortality for Charity

Have you experienced the SCI FI Channel reality television show called Who Wants to be a Superhero? Several people compete against each other to determine who has the best superhero persona. What prize could possibly be worth getting into a superhero costume and compete against others in tights on national television? The prize is to be immortalized in a new comic book by the famous comic book creator, Stan Lee, and also appear in an original movie!

Is the thought of dressing up as a superhero and having your bravery tested not in your top ten list of things to do? There is another way to be "immortalized" and support a charity at the same time.

Why not bid at an auction for charity that will get your name in a best-selling book or allow you to appear on a television show? Competing in a costume is not required. One auction site that I have discovered that regularly offers these kind of opportunities is Charity Folks. They have recently auctioned off walk-on roles to the television shows The Shield and Desperate Housewives.

You get your moment of fame that you have been dreaming about and charities benefit at the same time. If you want your name in lights, consider participating in a charity auction that will help you and others at the same time.

Discover How Baby Boomers Can Make an Impact

Baby boomers are an interesting group.  You are a baby boomer if you were born between the years of 1946 and 1964.  What is one of the things that makes this group so interesting?  Currently, the first baby boomers are at the traditional age of retirement.  The later baby boomers, which I am a part of, are at the traditional age of midlife. Both groups are evaluating their lives and considering what they will do in the future. Both want to lead a life that is full of meaning and purpose.

The new retirees are only leaving their first careers. They're certainly not retiring from life. This generation is living longer and has more vitality than ever before.  They're looking for a second career that is focused on what they want to do and enjoy.  They're looking for ways they can make a difference. Making additional income may or may not be necessary.  Many are looking for opportunities to volunteer either part time or full time.

What about those going through a "midlife crisis?" I had always heard this phase in life described as a time when a person would buy fast cars and indulge in bad and dangerous vices to an extreme. That may be true for some.  However, for many it is a time in life when they consider the impact they are having on others and the world in general. They are looking for more meaning in their life. Ultimately, giving back to society in the form of volunteering is a strong possibility.

I'm excited about the positive impact the baby boomer generation can make.  If you're a baby boomer, discover what you are passionate about.  Discover the skills and experiences you have developed throughout your life that can help others. Identify one or more charities that support a cause you feel strongly about. Contact them and volunteer your services. It doesn't matter if you only have one hour a week or 60 hours a week to donate.  You will make a difference and feel great about what you are doing at the same time.

To learn more about volunteering, go to http://www.everydaygiving.com and sign up the free special report "9 Questions to Consider Before Volunteering." Roger Carr is the founder of Everyday Giving.

Copyright © 2006 Roger B. Carr. All rights reserved

Charity Donations Have Entered the Housing Market

When you are searching for a new home, what are some of the things you consider in deciding which house to buy?

• location
• size of house and property
• condition
• appeal of house design

A couple in Lansing, Michigan hopes that another factor will be added to the list. They are promising to donate a portion of the sale to charity. You can read about their efforts at http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/3477472.html.

They want this to become a trend in the housing market. Do you think it will catch on?

More Reasons to Give in August 2006

Have you exhausted your brain trying to come up with new reasons to do something for someone?  There are always reasons to do something for someone (if you need an excuse). Take advantage of these upcoming observances for August 2006:

• National Back To School Month
• International Clown Week - 1-7 August 2006 - http://www.internationalclownweek.org
• International Friendship Day - 6 August 2006 - http://www.friendship.com.au/friendday.html
• International Youth Day - 12 August 2006 - http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/iyouthday.htm
• International Left-Handers Day - 13 August 2006 - http://www.lefthandersday.com
• Be an Angel Day - 22 August 2006
• Kiss and Make Up Day - 25 August 2006
• National Dog Day - 26 August 2006 - http://www.nationaldogday.com
• Women's Equality Day - 26 August 2006 - http://www.nwhp.org
• Be Kind to Humankind Week - 25-31 August 2006 - http://www.bekindweek.org

Get Creative to Raise Money for Charity

Many charities sponsor events to raise funding for their cause. Does this mean that you are limited to those events for raising funding for your favorite charity? You shouldn't be!

Raise funds in a creative way. Charities tend to organize similar events at the same time of the year. Because of that, they are competing even more with each other for people's time and money. Even the message regarding what the charity stands for can get diluted.

I had more than one person this past year tell me he or she was excited to be participating in the same walk I was supporting. After some discussion, we discovered he or she was actually supporting a different health-related walk that was occurring in the same city on the same day or month.

Why not do something creative and stand out from the others? I read about two events this morning that have received publicity outside their local area because the event was "different."

First, New Jersey state legislators held a harness race to raise funds for a number of charities. The 2006 New Jersey State Legislators Challenge was held on July 21 at the Meadowlands. Assemblyman Fred Scalera of Nutley, New Jersey was the winner of this exhibition race, but the real winners were the charities the money and publicity went to. Go to http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=40824 to read about the charity event.

Second, Mathew Topper got the idea to race back and forth across Edinburgh (he even wore a costume while doing it). Where were his destinations as he crisscrossed the city? They were the locations of a city-wide artistic cow exhibit called the CowParade! The National Museums of Scotland even stayed open until midnight to allow Mathew access. You can read about Mr. Topper's fundraising event at http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1066722006 and www.lemoos24.org.

Get your creative juices flowing. What do you enjoy doing that can be used to raise funds and awareness for your favorite cause? How can you use it in a way that your "event" will stand out from other events in your area?  Get permission from the charity if you use their name in promoting the event or while raising funds. Then, make it happen. You might just be surprised at the interest you generate from others by taking one of your ideas and acting on it.

The Power of Giving

Azim Jamal and Harvey McKinnon are graciously giving away an electronic version of their book entitled, "The Power of Giving." Don't let the fact that they are giving this book away convince you that it is not valuable. This is a terrific book full of quality information and I would  encourage you to get a copy. Go to http://www.thepowerofgiving.org to get your copy right now. I initially read the electronic copy and was impressed. I have since purchased a hardcopy of the book that I have been using. Azim and Harvey's goal is to use the book to spread a "giving virus."

Interviews Available at Everyday Giving Radio

I am excited to announce an additional way to learn about giving back that we have started here at Everyday Giving. We have just launched Everyday Giving Radio! You will be able to listen to interviews of people making a difference. it is my hope that by listening to these interviews, you will:

• support the wonderful efforts being discussed
• learn that "everyday" people can do extraordinary things
• be challenged to come up with unique ideas for giving
• learn ways to overcome any challenges you might face
• be inspired to take action on your ideas for giving

We already have a couple of great interviews ready for you to listen to.

• One interview is with a terrific lady I met at Book Expo America this month. Cindy Katz has started a company called Plant A Tree USA. She has a very big goal to benefit the world that she is pursuing. She has already made significant progress towards meeting that goal.
• The second interview is with a young boy and his mother. Cole Hodges and Joan Crown are the co-founders of Donate Your Birthday. Cole has been donating his birthday since he was five years old. Cole and his mom have now set up a nonprofit organization to encourage others to do the same.

Check out the interviews at http://www.everydaygivingradio.com. Be sure to leave a comment on the website to let me know your thoughts on the interviews. I am also interested in knowing what you liked, what I can improve on, and topics you would like covered in future interviews.

Note: If you prefer to download the mp3 files of the interviews to your portable mp3 player, like I do, it will be easier to sign up for the Everyday Giving Radio podcast at http://feeds.feedburner.com/EverydayGivingRadio.

Gracious Giving Pod Started Today!

Check out the new Gracious Giving discussion board at http://pods.zaadz.com/gracious_giving. It is another great way for people to inspire each other to give and share ideas on ways to give. An increase in all forms of giving will result in a better world.

Add Significance to Your New Year's Resolutions

by Roger Carr

The start of a new year is traditionally a time to reflect on the previous year. It is also a time to establish new resolutions. Popular resolutions include losing weight, getting more fit, getting out of debt, and making more money.

Giving to others tends to be forgotten when creating resolutions. However, their impact on you and others can be more significant than pursuing the more common resolutions.

What are some resolutions related to giving that you can consider as you pursue your own? Consider the following examples:

• Increase your financial giving to church and charities.
• Increase your time donated to important causes.
• Write and send an encouraging note at least weekly.
• Smile and greet the first people you meet every morning.
• Perform an act of kindness at least weekly.
• Search the house for unused, unneeded items and donate them for others to use.
• Increase the number of people you share your faith with.
• Donate your blood multiple times during the year.
• Determine your life purpose.

Your list needs to be unique to you. Use the above items only as a starting point in determining your own.

Be sure to set resolutions for yourself for the upcoming year that will help make a difference in the world. It will provide a special significance throughout the new year as you fulfill these important resolutions.

© 2005 Roger B. Carr

To learn more ways to give, go to http://www.everydaygiving.com/ezine.htm and sign up for the free Everyday Giving ezine. Be a philanthropist by giving everyday to others. Roger Carr is the founder of Everyday Giving. His life purpose is to help people help others.

7 Tips to Make You More Creative

by Roger Carr

Many great things have started as an simple, creative idea. Consider donating some of your best ideas to help others. The more creative you are, the more ideas you will be able to create. You can be creative even if you don't think you are.

I have known many people that were scared to use a computer for the first few times. However, after diving into it they became more comfortable. They were willing to take a risk and make some mistakes. The result was an ability to learn and do things they would never be able to do without the use of a computer.

Being creative and thinking up world-changing ideas occurs in the same way. Everyone can be creative but they have to be willing to start. The creative process will then become more natural over time.

Try the following tips to help you on your journey to be more creative:

1. Record your ideas on whatever is comfortable and convenient at the moment. What is important is that you record your ideas. In the past, I have forgotten ideas that I thought of when I was on a walk. Now I carry a digital recorder with me on those walks. At other times I use my computer, notepad or journal. Choose what will work best for you and make sure you have a way to record your ideas at all times. You never know when an important idea will surface.

2. Don't limit yourself to ideas that seem possible. Capture all of your ideas. Even those that seem impossible to implement are important for a couple of reasons. First, what seems impossible to you may not be impossible sometime in the future or for someone else. Second, impossible ideas encourage further creative ideas that might be more likely to be implemented.

3. Change your scenery or location. A change in scenery can stimulate the creativity inside you. A change might be as simple as looking out a window. You can also visit someplace new like a park, beach, or mall. The new environment can foster new ideas.

4. Read on many topics. It is amazing how many things in a totally unrelated subject can prompt new ideas. By broadening your knowledge into more areas, you make your creativity potential grows.

5. Go for a walk. Some of my best ideas have happened when I was on a walk. This applies to any form of moderate exercise. I have heard of others that have written articles and speeches while waalking or jogging.

6. Focus in 10-15 minute increments. It does not take a significant amount of time to brainstorm some potential ideas. In fact, brainstorming works best when done for short periods of time. Concentrate for a few minutes on generate as many ideas to address a specific area or problem. Then capture anything that comes to mind throughout the rest of the day (see tip #1). You will have several ideas for consideration for little investment of time. One of those could become something tremendous for helping others.

7. Think big. What question are you asking to prompt your ideas? The larger the question, the larger the impact those ideas may have on the world. You can start by addressing smaller problems but don't limit yourself to those. You have unique experiences, knowledge and talents that should be applied to helping others on a grand scale as well.

Follow these tips and you will be on your way to generating ideas that have the potential to change the world. Don't let your previous lack of creativity keep you from developing and donating your ideas. Get started today.

© 2005 Roger B. Carr

To learn more ways to give to others, sign up for the free Everyday Giving ezine at http://www.everydaygiving.com/ezine.htm.