For shopaholics with buyer's remorse, DoGoodBuyUs is the perfect solution. This site hosts the largest marketplace of charity-made products, from tea to t-shirts, and boots to soaps. Instead of purchasing products that you feel guilty about buying, you can do good just by shopping. With each purchase 50 percent, or more, of the proceeds are dedicated to fighting poverty, hunger, disease, environmental degradation, and other life-threatening ills around the world. So not only are you helping yourself by buying something you love, but you are also helping others in the process.
If you asked Eric Cope in 2010 that his new business venture, Smile Squared, would help tens of thousands of children worldwide improve their oral hygiene, he might be skeptical. However, since its founding 3 years ago over 23,000 people have received toothbrushes through the concept of “Buy One, Give One.”
“We offer small products that make a big impact,” stated Cope.
After traveling to Central America in 2010 to volunteer, Cope and his wife realized how much dental health impacts a child’s life. Their time in Guatemala included teaching children how to brush their teeth without sinks or running water. “We came back wanting to do something; we knew donating was a short term solution to the worldwide issue. We wanted something that would have long term effects,” Cope explained. Striving to provide every child with the ability to have clean and healthy teeth, Smile Squared was developed.
The statistics for Autism are astounding, according to Autism Speaks 1 out of 88 children and 1 in 54 boys will be diagnosed with Autism. In America, it continues to be one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities. Marking Autism Awareness Month is the 6th Annual World Autism Awareness Day on Tuesday April 2nd. Established in 2007 and adopted by the United Nations the goal of this day is to bring attention to Autism, and give the undiagnosed and misunderstood the much needed information.
Today 5001 Flavors, the Harlem-based fashion company, released their new eyewear collection. One of the pairs in the collection, The “Guy,” a limited edition men’s style with vibrant purple in the frames, will directly support Code Purple’s mission of ending malaria in Africa. For every pair of the purple-framed shades sold ten percent of the net profits will be donated to Code Purple starting April 1st and continuing on through Spring and Summer and ending on August 1st. The eyewear will be retailing for $295 online on the 5001 Flavors website. For those in the Harlem area, visit the Harlem Haberdashery boutique, owned by the creators of 5001 Flavors, Guy and Sharene Wood, to purchase the shades and check out their unique inventory of small batch clothing and accessories. The fashionable and philantrophic Guy and Sharene have created custom-made ensembles for Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Jaime Foxx, Lebron James, Kim Kardashian, and countless other celebrities. 5001 Flavors will also be participating in the Second Annual Code Purple event on World Malaria Day (April 25) to help raise awareness and funds to support the end of malaria. The event, held at the USS Intrepid Air & Space Museum, will include a silent auction, runway show, and chances to donate and purchase the Mosketto Armor Hood-E, developed by ING Activewear, that is certified to act as mosquito repellent and offers protection from mosquitos that may be infected with the malaria-ridden parasite.
What if you have the chance to share the power of a wish? For over 30 years the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human process with hope, strength, and joy. Originating in Arizona the foundation has become internationally known and has local chapters throughout the country and world.
In 1983, the Metro New York chapter opened their doors and serves the five boroughs and Long Island's Nassau County. As of September 2011 the chapter teamed with the Western New York chapter and now serves over 23 counties in New York State. The first wish granted by this local chapter was for a 7-year-old boy who wished to meet Catherine Bach, who portrayed Daisy Duke in the famous series Dukes of Hazard. In 2013, the chapter will grant its 10,000th wish.
Spring is officially here and it is time to clean out your closet and think of becoming environmentally friendly. Going green has never been easier to do since international fashion giant H&M unveiled their new clothing line and service, entitled H&M CONSCIOUS. Customers can bring their old clothes into an H&M location to have them reused, reworn, or recycled. In return for their old clothes, customers receive a voucher for 15% off an item of their choice for each bag they bring. Customers are only allowed to bring in two bags of clothing per day.
A charity initiative brought to you by Gaz (Gary) Regan, Just One Shift, has an amazing (and fun) plan to raise $250,000 in a week long fundraising campaign by inviting bartenders worldwide to donate all or part of their tips from just one shift (Get it?). Fittingly, the funds raised will benefit Wine to Water, a non-profit founded by a bartender, that focuses on providing clean water to needy people worldwide. Since World Water Day is coming up on March 26th, it is the perfect time to get aboard the clean water wagon.
Barefoot, maker of fun and flavorful wines and bubblies, has been supporting local nonprofits for the past 25 years. They are now renewing the promise by continue to support and celebrate big-hearted people that make a difference. Through their new Soles of the Year program, Barefoot will launch Barefoot Impression Red Blend, red wine that will feature the stories and faces of these extraordinary do-gooders. “Our ‘Soles of the Year’ program celebrates people who are the backbone of diverse philanthropic organizations,” said Elizabeth Windram of Barefoot Wine & Bubbly. “They put their heart and “sole” into to the causes they support and have made a lasting impression on us.” The new wine is a rich blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Malbec, and Tempranillo and is available nationwide at $7 for 750mL or $12 for 1.5L.
Italian design house, Gucci, has teamed up with the Green Carpet Challenge (an organization created by Colin Firth's wife, Livia) and Rainforest Alliance-certified cattle ranches in the Brazilian Amazon to help fight deforestation. The leather handbag industry greatly contributes to deforestation with three-fourths of deforestation being cause by cattle ranching and therefore, leather goods. Gucci, the first line of leather products to be involved in such a project, wants to preserve the rainforests of Brazil without compromising the quality of their products.
Although, Hurricane Sandy seems like an event of the past, there are many communities that are still feeling the aftermath. Recently, Joonbug had the opportunity to attend the Rebuild Hoboken Gala and experienced first-hand how New Jersey residents come together in a positive and big way.
Rebuild Hoboken, a non-profit foundation, begun in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, held an upscale event at the W Hotel Hoboken to help raise funds for Hoboken residents who have not been able to achieve enough relief through other methods. Many portions of Hoboken, NJ were left without power and submerged under water. There were some families and businesses that literally lost everything they owned due to intense flood damage.
The highly anticpated Black Tie Rave on Feb. 28 featuring Swedish House Mafia on their 'One Last Tour' has already proved to be hugely successful. The first round of tickets were auctioned off in December and with under a third of the tickets sold, an incredible amount of $437,000 was raised for the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund in support of hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
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