Build-A-Bear

For the kids on your shopping list this holiday season Build-A-Bear offers an amazing selection of stuff animals to choose from!

A portion of the sale of over 12 of the animal goes to support the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation which makes grants to causes that support children’s health such as juvenile diabetes, autism, children’s cancer research or other important wellness causes for children.

Build-A-Bear Workshop also launched the tenth and latest in the WWF Collectifriend^TM series, Gray Wolf.  This collection highlights endangered animals and a portion of each sale also goes to the World Wildlife Fund.   The wolf, the largest member of the canine family, has become extinct in Mexico and in much of the U.S. and Western Europe. Despite protection, there are some areas where the wolf faces habitat loss and illegal killings due mainly to livestock conflicts.

Shutterfly Cards for a Cause

Looking to make your own personalized holiday cards this year?  Get 20% off all cards right now at Shutterfly.com.  Even better, choose from a selection of cards by the American Lung Association, Heifer International, LiveSTRONG, Special Olympics or World Wildlife Fund and 10% of the net sales will be donated by Shutterfly to the organization.  

Soap for Everyone on Your List

Looking for a Chanukah or Christmas gift?  A gift for a pet lover or gardner? Soap on a rope or bath tea?  The Choices soap collection by The Enterprising Kitchen is bound to have something to fit everyone on your list this holiday season (everyone uses soap right?!?)

These all natural soap products are produced by The Enterprising Kitchen, a Chicago based nonprofit social enterprise.  The organization provides workforce development and support services to women who are working toward self-sufficiency and economic independence. The profits from the sale of the soap goes to ensure that each woman in the program receive intensive workforce preparation and skills development including: paid employment, work and life skills training, individualized career planning, high school equivalency preparation, technology training, financial planning and a variety of other support services.

Support Breast Cancer Research

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many retailers are jumping on board to support the cause.   O Magazine did a great feature this month highlighting products that are for sale where a portion will go to support breast cancer research.  If your favorite color is pink, you are bound to find something you like on this list!

Shop for a Cause at Macy’s

I was buying a new pair of shoes at Macy’s this past weekend and the sales person told me if I donated $5 to charity I would get $10 off of my shoes and a savings pass.  Sounded like a good deal!  As I asked him more about the promotion I learned about Macy’s Annual Shop for a Cause event.  Customers buy a  $5 savings pass (all of the money goes to charity) and in return receive exclusive all-day savings storewide on a wide assortment of merchandise and an extra-special offer for selected departments.

Macy’s has been partnering with non-profit organizations nationwide since 2006 to raise funds for charitable efforts. Over $28 million has been raised through this one-day event!

This year’s event will run all day Saturday, October 17, 2009.

To see which charities in your community are benefiting from this event look here.

Etsy.com Crafters Team Up for Charity

Etsy.com is a great place to look for unique, handmade gifts.  I like to think of Etsy as a world-wide, online craft fair.

Some of the artist on Etsy have teamed up to raise money for charity by forming the Etsy for Charity (EFC) Shop.

All items listed in the Etsy for Charity Shop are donated by Etsy sellers and the proceeds from the sale of the items are donated to a different charity each month.  This month, the proceeds go to support the Alzheimer’s Association. Items range from cards to jewelery to toys for kids.

Good Excuse to Eat Ice Cream!

Are you looking for a good excuse to eat ice cream?  I know I always am!

On Thursday, September 24th from 5-8pm you and your family can get a FREE  3oz Make-A-Wish Creation sundae at Cold Stone Creamery when you make a donation to Make-A-Wish at your local Cold Stone store.  The sundae was created by Jack, a young boy who is suffering from a life threatening illness and is being helped by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

You can learn more about the kids that Make-A-Wish works with by watching this great video.  Details are also include about the free ice cream event.

Enjoy!