A GIFT THAT TRULY KEEPS ON GIVING

Mission of e-Partners in Giving:  Provide an efficient, convenient, and secure way for anyone to make an online donation – specifically for significant life events.

In laymen's terms:

We want people to give back on their birthday;

we want people to give back when they get married;

we want people to give back when 

they graduate high school or college.

(I could go on for days)

We are essentially trying to change a culture that revolves around unwrapping tons and tons of materialistic junk that is driven by nothing more than "gimme, gimme, gimme."

I have one buddy who said ENOUGH and is already living this cultural shift of giving back.

I LOVE IT!

For his son's first birthday, my friend and his wife decided to collect shoes for a Metroplex non-profit instead of having their guests bring gifts.

It was a huge success.

The birthday boy, one-year-old Ryder (photo below), helped collect 50 pairs of gently-used shoes for the Dallas Shoe Bank, which gives them to homeless men and women in Dallas.

The caption on The Shoe Bank web site read: "This young Fort Worth resident, with a little help from his parents, recently celebrated his first birthday by collecting more than fifty pairs of shoes for The Shoe Bank."

My friend said there were four factors that spearheaded this idea (all of which I LOVE):

1) They simply wanted to give back;

2) They want to instill those values in their son at an early age;

3) They knew that Ryder had NO IDEA if he was getting a pair of shoes for someone less fortunate or a new thingymagiggy for himself, because he's ONLY 12-months old. (His dad said, "A lot of times, they're just happy with the box.");

4) "It was a little selfish, too..." Ryder's dad said. "We didn't need anymore stuff – especially toys. We have plenty."

I applaud Mike and his wife for briefly taking the emphasis off their family and giving back.

SO WONDERFULLY GREAT!

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME...er....OFFICE

I’ve written several blog posts about working out of the house. Actually in my first month of blogging, I wrote two:

DATE: May 5, 2008
TITLE: 'WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU DID TODAY?'

FOCUS: First day working out of the house

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Question: "Are you mad about the possibility of bad weather today?"  Answer: "No. Why?"  Question: "Because of your tee time."

• (After missing a phone call) "Were you getting your sweat pants out of the dryer?"

• "What time did you start drinking?"

DATE: May 18, 2008

TITLE: YOU HAVE TO PUT ON YOUR SHOES!

FOCUS: Advice for working out of the house

HIGHLIGHTS:

• I have started my third week as CEO/President of e-Partners in Giving, which means I'm now an expert on working from home.

• Advice: Open the blinds

• Conversation with drive-thru guy at Sonic

These are good reminders why working out of the house is NOT the perfect and/or ideal situation. It’s really good – don’t get me wrong – but I would NEVER use the adjective “perfect” to describe it.

There was actually a wonderfully great incident this weekend that made me utter part of the Dark Side oath: “I wish I had an office.”

PREFACE: 

My wife (TK) and I were driving home from my mom and dad’s on Sunday afternoon. We had a nice breakfast with my folks and my little sister, Allison….stopped by my grandmother’s to say a quick hello….headed back to Fort Worth around 12:30 p.m.

We didn’t have crazy plans for the rest of the day. I was going to pick up my Little Brother Anthony and “just chill” around the house. (His phrasing, not mine.) TK was going to go to yoga.

At 1:03 p.m. my cell phone buzzed and all hell broke loose. (Again…this turns into a fantastic story, but for 107 minutes…I prefer the verbiage “neurotically hellacious.”)

1:03 p.m.
(driving outside of Keene, Texas, approximately 30 minutes from home; phone buzzes…”Private Number”)

ME: “This is Drew.”

WOMAN’S VOICE: “Hi! This is Sana from CBS 11….” (All I really heard was "CBS 11")

ME: (kind of interrupting & praying that Keene, Texas, hadn’t missed the memo about cell phones and specifically cell phone towers) “Yes. How’s it going?”

CBS 11: “Are you in town?”

ME: (slightly pushing on the accelerator a little firmer) “Ummm…kind of. I’m driving back to Fort Worth right now.”

CBS 11: “We were wondering if we could visit with you today about leaving TCU and starting your own company….”

I won’t bore you with the whole back and forth, but Sana Syed was going to be at my office/house – along with a cameraman and a satellite truck – in less than two hours.

ME: “That’s perfect….see you then.”

1:06 p.m.
(right foot VERY heavy on the accelerator…speed limit signs irrelevant….my mind actually going faster than the car.)

ME: “That was Channel 11. 

They’re going to do a story on e-Partners today.”

TK: (pumping her fist in the air) “Yes!”

Then I explained to TK that by the time we made it home, we would have one hour to make the office/house “TV Ready.”

TK: “Yikes!”

1:07 p.m.
TK and I start to put together a game plan to attack the office/house. Here are some snippets over the next 26 minutes:

NOTE: Our house was not dirty or messy, but definitely not ready for CBS 11. Again…if there was only a definite line between home and office. Despite what I tell the IRS...there's really not!

ME: “You start with the kitchen and I’ll work on the office…

TK: “Let’s just throw everything in the back bedroom (our bedroom) and close the door…”

ME: “Do we have any extra laundry baskets? I’ll just shove all my clutter in those.”

TK: “Let’s move that table out of the office…”

ME: (interrupting) “Move furniture? Are you kidding…No, you’re right…let’s throw that in the bedroom, too.”

TK: “What about Anthony?”

ME: (eyes wide, staring at the clock) “Crap...I mean YIKES!”

NOTE: One phone call to his mom, saved me 30 minutes – she agreed to drop him off at the house.

ME: (still driving like a contestant on “The Amazing Race”) At 2: 15, 

I HAVE to stop what I'm doing and get cleaned up and shave…”

TK: “What are you going to wear?”

That topic over-shadowed “Mission: Get the House Ready” for the rest of the drive.

1:33 p.m.
Pull into the driveway

1:34 p.m.
Start throwing anything not nailed down into the bedroom; Tanya started hiding the toaster and other irrelevant appliances that I assume made our counters look cluttered. (When asked about it later, “I didn’t want CBS 11 to know that we eat toast.”)

2:06 p.m.
Office/house starting to take shape (unless you opened our bedroom door…it looked like a PODS storage unit.)

2:07 p.m.
I stood at our bedroom door and mumbled  to myself, “Why do we have so much crap?”

2:08 p.m.
I was mopping the office floor, while Tanya was hiding the blender.

2:10 p.m.
Anthony shows up…I apologize about the chaos and hand him some Windex and a rag.

2:15 p.m.
I start to shave and take a junior high shower (damp wash cloth under the armpits and a couple squirts of cologne).

2:17 p.m.

TK: (sticking her head into the bathroom) “What are you going to wear?”

ME: (wearing a shaving cream Fu Manchu) “Wear? What am I going to say?”

2:33 p.m.
Decide to go casual with my attire – jeans and purple button down (Go Frogs!)

2:40 p.m.
Spray some Febreze and light some candles.

2:42 p.m.
Take a deep breath…sit down and ask Anthony about school.

2:43 p.m.
Doorbell rings

YIKES!

The rest of the story is pretty awesome:

• I feel so blessed and grateful that I got to share my story.

• I love the fact that I got to spread the word about giving back.

• I thought it was cool that they shot footage of me and Anthony working on his new model airplane, which was a birthday present. (photo below)

• I was so proud of Anthony for agreeing to be interviewed and doing such an amazing job.

• I was so appreciative of Sana and John for taking a group shot next to the CBS 11 satellite truck. (photo below)

It was perfect ending to a chaotic day.

At 5:30 p.m. – 4 hours and 7 minutes from the initial phone call – Anthony and I sat in my immaculate living room and watched the newscast on my freshly dusted TV.

ANTHONY: “Did you know they were coming over today?”

ME: “Nope.”

We were both glad they did, though.

Click here to see the video

'A HAND UP' HELPS MAKE DREAM COME TRUE

If you ever get the chance to visit with someone directly involved with Habitat for Humanity, they are very adamant about the mission of the organization.

"We don't give hand outs," they'll say with poignant tone – almost unexpectedly defensive. Then they'll flash a huge smile and say with pure unsolicited confidence, "We offer a hand up."

I LOVE IT!

I got the opportunity to see this first-hand during a recent Habitat Build in Dallas.

Two weeks ago, e-Partners in Giving rallied six volunteers to help with a mid-week Build. (These individuals were true all-stars for sacrificing and giving back on a Wednesday morning and afternoon.) We helped frame the house, plywood the roof, install hurricane brackets, and anything else the foreman asked us to do.

Here are some photos (click here to see all the photos):

Exactly 10 days after we were on the job site, I got to return for the dedication of the house and see one family's life completely changed forever when they handed them the keys to their new house. 

It was awesome!

The new homeowner said, "This is a dream come true."

I wanted to share a couple pictures from the dedication, and a general bio on the family.

(click to enlarge)

Final thoughts: If you are looking for a non-profit that has the potential to tug at your heart strings every single time you volunteer – whether you are raising money or hammering a nail – this is a tremendous organization.

I feel blessed and humbled that I played a part in Semert's dream coming true.

NEVER STOP GIVING BACK!

FINAL CALL TO ACTION: 50 Donations in 5 Days

I'm still very determined to show Back on My Feet that I mean business. 

Like I've written before, I want to bring a BOMF chapter to The Metroplex. This non-profit speaks directly to my heart, and I KNOW that it can make a difference in the homeless communities in Dallas/Fort Worth.

I need your help!

Help me show the entire Back on My Feet family that I'm very serious about this vision. I am running in the Cowtown half marathon next weekend (Feb. 28th) and I'm asking for anyone and everyone to make a simple donation of $13. (That's $1 for every mile that I'll be running in the race.)

All proceeds will go to Back on My Feet – with the hope that every single penny reminds them that there is a foot soldier in Fort Worth who is willing to fight for their incredible cause. (Not to mention an army of supporters – YOU – standing right behind him!)

My goal is to receive 50 donations in 5 days – so I will be able to mail BOMF a check for $650 before the starting gun fires on Saturday. I know this is a lofty goal, but I've never backed down from a challenge before.

For all of those who have already made a donation – I'm grateful beyond words. For those that haven't .... again, I'm asking for your help.

(click here to make a donation)

(click here to make donation)

“Back of My Feet is my way of making positive change. Running is one of the most empowering activities there is because there is no end. There is always another mile, another road, another right turn. There is no buzzer and there is no referee. It has taught me so much about life, especially the simple notion that to get anywhere, you have to take it one step at a time."

– Anne M. Mahlum, Founder and President

HELP ME SHOW THEM THAT I'M SERIOUS

Reminder: I’m trying to bring Back on My Feet to Fort Worth. This Philadelphia-based non-profit – which attacks homelessness through running – has grabbed a hold of my heart strings and refuses to let go.

In order to prove to BOMF founder Anne Mahlum and her staff that I’m serious, I am currently raising money for two upcoming races.

I’m asking anyone who reads this blog – or supports my efforts of giving back – to visit my Donation Page by clicking here. All of the donations go directly to Back on My Feet. (I've actually decided to earmark the money for a new staff position that BOMF has created for one of its members. Read his blog here.)

• $13 for running the Cowtown Half Marathon ($1 for every mile that I will be running.)

OR

• $12 for running Nashville’s Country Music Marathon ($3 for every hour I plan on being on the marathon course, which WILL BE 4 HOURS!)

THAT’S IT … $13 OR $12.

I’m not looking to break anyone by asking for tons and tons of money – but I’m looking for a significant number of these small contributions.

I NEED YOUR HELP!

To read more about my mission to bring Back on My Feet to Fort Worth, please visit these two blog posts:

• Vision Inspires Call to Action

• The Seed Has Been Planted

• The World Through Isaac’s Eyes

DONATE NOW – it's quick and easy

BLOGGING ENDEAVOR GETTING DIFFICULT

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is post No. 6 in a week-long blogging initiative.

I’ve decided that small, easily digestible nuggets of thoughts and information would be the best way to blog heading down the stretch of this week-long experiment.

BTW: Blogging everyday is tough. I will definitely return to once a week – if not every other week – after the last post.

ONE MORE HOMEMADE GIFT
I can’t show you photos or even tell you exactly what my brother made for his homemade Christmas gift this year, but I can say this:

IT ROCKED THE HOUSE!

Hands down, he made the most elaborate gift in the history of our 10-year tradition. There was no “cry factor” involved, but there was a definite “kick-butt factor."

The reason why I can’t give you all the details –I’m trying to talk him into producing more and actually selling them. (His gift was that dang good!) I’m doing a little legwork for him right now to see if he can get this side business up and running.

I will share some of the “construction”

logistics with you:

• He said at least 40 hours of labor went into it;

• He said there were 18 trips to Home Depot.

We exchanged gifts with him and his wife Koleen just this week. Thanks to his remarkable gift, we definitely closed out the Christmas holidays with a BANG!

e-PARTNERS GETTING SOME INK
I recently received the most recent edition of “The Director,” the official publication of the National Funeral Directors Association.

This particular issue was a look back at the NFDA Convention in Orlando, and right on the cover – literally front and center – was a photo of the e-Partners in Giving staff.

The camera captured us attending the convention’s “Party with a Purpose,” which benefitted Habitat for Humanity.

The GREAT part of that exact same photo – it was used THREE other times inside the magazine.

We did receive some legitimate PR in the story about the convention’s Habitat build. Here are the excerpts:

“… Rounding out the NFDA team was the staff of e-Partners in Giving: Drew and Tanya Myers, Stefanie Lewis and Denise Martin.”

“When asked, team members quickly agreed that, if given the opportunity, they would be honored and eager to volunteer again for Habitat for Humanity. In fact, e-Partners in Giving has partnered with the Habitat chapter in Fort Worth, Texas, and is helping to raise the $56,000 needed to sponsor a build.”

“Drew Myers of e-Partners said, ‘I’m hooked on Habitat. It’s a tremendous was to give back in more than one way. There’s the financial aspect, but there’s also the rolling up your sleeve and breaking a sweat.’ Myers and his crew look forward to bringing their Orlando experience to the Fort Worth build.”

STARTING TO READ INTO IT
I just want to say thank you to all the people who have recently suggested books for me to read.

I am really in a rhythm right now – mixing in audio books in the car and flipping pages during meals and before I fall asleep.

I’m currently reading/listening to two tremendous books (both recommendations):

• “The 4-Hour Workweek” by
Timothy Ferriss is a funny, but poignant prose about taking control of your life and truly living.

I was just identified in the book – a person who “works just to work.” I’m starting to realize that’s not a good thing.

• “Hot, Flat, and Crowded” by Thomas Friedman takes a hard look
at the planet and how we’re
impacting it.

One review on Amazon.com captured it perfectly: “Friedman writes on world population, the increase of the global middle class, and the growing energy crisis. All of this has contributed to a world that is in desperate need of an energy solution. The thing I like about Friedman's approach is he's optimistic and he's practical.”

I’m currently reading a chapter about “energy poverty” in Africa and Asia. Very interesting and eye-opening.

Please keep the recommendations coming. (Reminder: I have 843 days to read 189 books.)

JOIN THE CLUB, GET 'GLORIOUSLY RUINED'

I am working diligently on being “gloriously ruined.”

I want to wake up one morning and have my life

turned upside down – ruined from top to bottom,

inside and out.

Why?

I firmly believe that’s when I’ll start truly making a difference through giving back.

I was introduced to the phrase, “gloriously ruined,” when reading “Dangerous Surrender” by Kay Warren. She is an advocate for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, and she was ruined when she visited Africa, the frontline of the AIDS epidemic.

Here is an excerpt from her book:

“If very little in my life had prepared me for what I experienced in Africa, nothing had prepared me to try to pick up my life again in affluent Orange County, California. Everything looked different; everyone seemed strange. I looked at my possessions differently. Suddenly a full refrigerator was an insult. The crowded grocery store shelves were excessive. The displays of fashion at the mall were trivial. Television was disgusting and moronic. Politics made me sick. Church was superficial. I was a mess.”

She went on to write, “I’m simply not the same person…I’ve been shaped by these new experiences, and I will never be the same. Moreover, I don’t want to be the same. I can’t have seen what I’ve seen, met the people I’ve met, experienced what I’ve experienced, only to turn away and return to life as usual. I now look at life through a different set of lenses.”

WOW! I LOVE IT!

In those two paragraphs, Mrs. Warren provided me a metaphorical slap to the face.

A few pages later, she talked about “joining the ranks of the ruined.” As she leads small groups interested in giving back, she says that she asks each person to become members of the “Seriously Disturbed, Gloriously Ruined Club.”

When these groups of people finally get it, she wrote, “they are no longer content to live with the focus of their lives being on their world – themselves, their problems, their family, their career. Their eyes have been opened to new realities. They have seen how the suffering world lives, and it is not real. They cannot ignore the suffering or pretend it doesn’t exist. They are compelled to do something about it.”

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!

Personally, I’m still searching

for that “ruined” moment.

As I drive down the streets near the homeless shelter, I get a small taste. As I talk to my little brother about his family’s struggles, I can see glimpses of getting ruined.

But I’ve never prayed with a homeless woman in Africa dying from AIDS, and I’ve never held the hand of a woman who was infected with HIV because her husband contracted the virus from his mistress and brought the disease home.

Kay Warren has. These two women helped ruin her.

The point of this blog post is not to push Mrs. Warren’s book (even though it is an excellent and motivational read), I’m delivering a call to action:

I am asking you to join the

“Seriously Disturbed, Gloriously Ruined Club.”

Here is your chance

(you knew I had one, didn't you?):

The Tarrant County Homeless Coalition is looking for 500 volunteers to help conduct a count and brief survey of unsheltered homeless people living in the Tarrant and Parker County area.

It is a two- to three-hour time commitment, starting at 8 p.m. on January 29th.

Volunteers will be broken up into groups of three or four, trained by the Coalition, and escorted by a police officer.

In the e-mail I received about the volunteer opportunity, it said: “This is truly an eye-opening experience…”

This could be my chance – and YOUR chance – to be "gloriously ruined."

Through my company,

it's my goal to put together

25 teams of four people.

If you are interested in joining one of the teams, please let me know and I will forward your name and contact information on to the proper people. Share this blog with others. Invite your friends, your family members, your neighbors, and your co-workers.

If you need more information, please visit Tarrant County Homeless Coalition’s web site by clicking here.

CHRISTMAS MORNING STILL MAGICAL

Back in September, I wrote a blog post about my family's amazing tradition of making our Christmas gifts. (click here for original post)

I've always known that my family was pretty awesome, but it wasn't until we started unwrapping this year's homemade blessings that I realized how remarkable my family truly is.

For the last 10 years we have battled stress, creative roadblocks, and busy schedules in order to keep our Christmas mornings magical. Each of us has racked our brains for 11 months, been on the verge of tears with frustration in mid-December, and utilized a glue gun on Christmas Eve in order to add some final touches to our "masterpieces."

And even though we've passively talked about changing the tradition, we refuse to throw in the towel and each one us continues to shine every December – coming up with insightful and thoughtful ideas.

I wanted to share some of this year's gifts with everyone:

MARY GRACE (my three-year-old niece): Framed finger painting

JAKE (my eight-month-old nephew): Personalized cards with

his handprint and picture

of him and the recipient on the inside (right).

SUSAN (my younger sister):

Memory journals that we are supposed to write in every week for the next year.

She provided 52 prompts to give us guidance.

(Example: "Describe someone in your life

who had a great influence over you in a short time.")

ALLISON (my littlest sister): Hand-sewn oven mitts

for the boys and belts for the girls.

MOM: Custom floor mats (ours was for our kitchen);

she made Allie an awesome rug/mat from needlepoint.

DAD: Hand-cut mesquite wood chips for the grill – with specific instructions: "Soak for 30 minutes, then put on hot goals." (Each family received a bundle that was neatly packaged in homemade burlap bags that were sewn with yarn.)

TANYA (my wife): Pickles and pickled vegetables; she cleverly named them "Puckerin' Pickles" and "Wickled Wegtables" and printed personalized labels for each person.

MICHAEL (my brother-in-law): Personalized stationary;

I received four pads, each with its own marks: TCU logo, e-Partners in Giving logo, my initials, and "World's Best Uncle." (Mike, who plays professional baseball, also got me a personalized Fungo bat with my name engraved on it.)

Every couple of years, I opt to put my Photoshop and design skills to use. Which, according to my wife, means I'm making something to hang on the wall.

For once...she was correct.

I took pictures around my mom and dad's farm and created the following...."Alpha Art." It started with the main image that I gave my mom and dad (below).

The rest of the gifts evolved from that (below).

My homemade gift to Tanya was similar in style, but I took photos around Fort Worth to create her image.

OTHER NUGGETS

COMING SOON: CHRISTMAS CHAOS BLOG

As the wonderfully great holiday season comes to a close, I'm starting to formulate my first annual Christmas Chaos Blog. (I use "chaos" in the most cherished way possible.)

Here is a sneak peak of my wild

and crazy December through pictures:

SPECIAL THANKS FOR GIVING BACK

I've already said thank you through e-mails, text messages, and letters, but that only begins to express my appreciation for every single person who sponsored a client for our Safe Haven Christmas Extravaganza.

On December 22nd, we were able to capture the true meaning of Christmas. There is NO WAY we could have done it without the help from these individuals.

e-Partners in Giving stuffed 20 personalized stockings (with so much stuff there was a wrapped "overflow" package) for each Safe Haven resident. We also purchased a computer, monitor, and printer for the entire complex.

Our sponsors, including Rosa's Cafe, helped make all of this possible.

I wish I could capture a portion of the magic that was created when those 20 clients opened their stockings. There were a lot of smiles, a few tears of appreciation, and a lot of hugs.

One last time: Thanks to each

of you for making all of this possible.

(click here to see all the photos from the Christmas party)

THE REAL FOCUS OF THE HOLIDAYS

I had a really tough time turning 25 years old. 

Looking back, I have no idea what my mindset was at that time in my life. I guess I thought I was getting old. The fact that my little sister told me that I was “a quarter of the way to death” probably didn’t help. (My response, in my fragile state: “Yeah….if you live to be 100!”)

One thing I do remember was a piece of advice that I received from a friend of mine. “Take the focus off of yourself,” she said. “Put the emphasis on someone less fortunate than you. Give back.”

That’s when I got involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and kick-started my mid-20s in grand fashion.

My friend was right. Even though I was attending the world’s biggest pity party, there were other people, groups, and causes that were struggling with a lot more than a 25th birthday.

That’s what I want everyone to remember as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, and the economic turmoil in this country is causing EVERYONE to have a metaphorical 25th birthday.

I would like to echo the advice I was given exactly nine years ago: “Take the focus off of yourself and put the emphasis on someone less fortunate than you. Give back.”

I know things are tight, but they are tight for EVERYONE.

If you’re a middle-class family of four that is feeling the brunt of the economic crunch, how do you think a single mom – who is working two jobs to support her three kids AND her brand new grandchild – is doing? What about the dad in the exact same situation? (The only difference with him...there is good chance that he was just laid off.)

While it might simply be a tighter belt for you, it’s a daily punch to the gut for them.

From now until Christmas I will be sharing unique ways you can remove that focus from yourself and give back during this holiday season. (If you have any causes that tug at your heartstrings – I would encourage you to share those as well in the Comment section at the bottom of this blog.)

My first opportunity to share has a special place in my heart, and there is a tremendous opportunity for you to help to help deliver some Christmas magic.

e-Partners in Giving, my new company, is hosting the inaugural Safe Haven Christmas Extravaganza at Fort Worth’s Presbyterian Night Shelter. Safe Haven is the mentally ill wing of the homeless shelter. It houses 20 residents that I have come to know very well through my volunteer efforts over the last seven months.

We are prepared to throw them a genuine holiday bash on Dec. 22nd – with food, music, decorations, and gifts.

It’s the gift aspect of the Extravaganza where there is a fantastic opportunity to briefly take the focus off of yourself.

I am asking 15 people who read this blog to adopt a Safe Haven client this holiday season. We have set a price point of $35 that will help us buy one present and stuff one stocking for each resident. (We’re only asking for 15 because five people have already generously offered to support our Extravaganza.)

Each resident submitted a Christmas list – and it would break your heart to read what they asked for. You would think they would have wished for the stars, but they were all very practical. Here are a few samples:

• Wal-Mart gift card
• Tennis shoes
• A coat
• Perfume and cologne

Some were a little more “over-zealous,” asking for a radio, CD player, or a watch, but there was not one single outrageous request.

One gentleman simply asked for, “To stay sober; Give to others; Recover Physically.”

They all need so much, but they all want so little. That makes me smile.

Our stocking stuffers will include things like socks, toiletry items, candy, and other items that Santa would leave at our house on Christmas morning.

In regards to how you want to handle the gifts and stocking stuffers – we want to make it as easy on you as possible. If you would like to go shopping yourself – that’s awesome. (We will supply you a list and send you on your way.) If you want to give us the $35 and let us take care of the rest – we can do that, too.

Just send me an e-mail and let me know.

I will go ahead and say thank you to everyone in advance. I only send this blog to a certain number of people – each one of you has the heart and spirit to answer the bell, re-shift the focus off of yourself, and help us give back. Your support and generosity is appreciated more than you will ever know.

I encourage you to refer back to the blog on a regular basis – read people’s comments about other ways to get involved, and share your stories about giving back this holiday season.